BENGALURU: In a major crackdown on the supply of contraband narcotic and psychotropic drugs in the city, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Bengaluru Zonal Unit (BZU), on credible inputs from the Customs, seized high-grade 3000 MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) pills weighing 610 grams and 235 grams of cocaine from the foreign post office in the city, said Director, NCB, BZU Amit Ghawate.
The value of the highly addictive stimulant and hallucinogenic contraband drugs is said to be around Rs 55 lakh in the grey market, he added.
“The NCB has arrested two alleged Kenyan nationals - Ramla Shedafa Nancy and Emmanuel Michael under the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 in the case. The duo had come to India on student and tourist visas and were allegedly found peddling contraband drugs. The NCB has seized their passports, which prima facie, look fake,” said the officer.
An investigating officer of the NCB, Sunil Pareva, was injured while chasing the duo, he added.
The central anti-drug agency seized the MDMA or Ecstasy pills from a parcel at the foreign post office, Bengaluru on December 17. “The high grade yellow and grey coloured Ecstasy pills were concealed in layers of a table cloth,” said Ghawate.
“As per the preliminary investigation, the MDMA pills were smuggled from the Netherlands to Bengaluru for further distribution. In the follow-up action, on December 18 we arrested Nancy and Michael, who had come to collect the parcel, under the NDPS Act,” he added.
On further investigation and interrogation of the accused duo, the NCB team traced and recovered another parcel consisting of 235 grams of cocaine, which was concealed in the inner walls of a corrugated box. "The contraband drug was sourced from Ethiopia," said the NCB officer.
Cocaine and MDMA are banned under the NDPS Act. Cocaine is a powerful stimulant drug made from the leaves of the cocoa plant native to South America. In party circles it is known as ‘Coke,’ ‘Blow,’ ‘Crack,’ ‘Rock’ and ‘Snow.’ The drug is commonly snorted, inhaled as smoke, or dissolved and injected into a vein.
MDMA, which is commonly known as Ecstasy, is a party drug that alters moods and perceptions. It is a stimulant and hallucinogenic drug and produces feelings of increased energy and pleasure.
“The popularity of such contraband synthetic drugs has increased manifold over the past five years in India,” the officer added.