NEW DELHI: In a major operation, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Mumbai has dismantled an international drug nexus, resulting in the seizure of synthetic drugs like MDMA and LSD, and hydroponic weed worth crores in the illegal market.
NCB sleuths arrested two men in an operation conducted in collaboration with the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). It led to the confiscation of a total of 1.4 kilograms of MDMA, equivalent to 2917 tablets, along with 0.26 grams of LSD encapsulated in 24 blots. Additionally, 1.840 kilograms of meticulously cultivated hydroponic weed were seized.
Two receivers involved in the illicit drug trade were arrested and their roles in the network are under investigation, the NCB said on Friday.
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The investigation was initiated following crucial intelligence about an international drug network intending to distribute a variety of exotic drugs from the United States and Europe.
The proactive measures of the anti-drug cell prompted the interception of a suspicious parcel at the Foreign Post Office in Mumbai. Concealed ingeniously within a black audio system, the parcel contained 100 blue-coloured MDMA tablets and 24 LSD blot papers.
Further inquiries and collaboration with Maharashtra ATS led to the interception of a key figure, S. Kashyap, on in Pune on Thursday. Kashyap was discovered to be deeply involved in the drug supply chain, receiving contraband from foreign sources for distribution within Pune. The investigation is currently exploring potential links to a broader syndicate.
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In a previous operation, a parcel originating from the United States was intercepted at the Mumbai Foreign Post Office on August 4, 2023. The parcel contained four tin cans, one of which held lumpy hydroponic weed, while the remaining three contained finely curated hydroponic weed. This operation exposed a drug network responsible for procuring sophisticated party drugs from distant countries. One of the drug receivers, Adnan F., was apprehended and interrogated on July 25, 2023, leading to the revelation of a syndicate organizing upscale parties in Pune and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), where the illicit substances were supplied.
In another operation on July 21, a parcel sourced from the Netherlands was seized at the FPO. Examination of the contents, including a battery-operated neck massager and two tin metal food cans, uncovered 2817 MDMA tablets (1.363 kilograms). This operation led to the identification of Arjun G., a Nallasopara-based drug receiver with connections to previous drug-related cases.