MUMBAI: In one of the largest seizures, the Mumbai Zonal Unit of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on August 10, confiscated a total of 3,056 ecstasy pills sourced from Belgium from two different places in the city.
"On August 10, acting on specific inputs, the NCB unit seized a total of 3,010 of MDMA pills (969 gm), commonly known as ecstasy, sourced from Belgium on August 10 at DHL Express India (P) Ltd, Goregaon (West), Mumbai," informed KPS Malhotra, the deputy director (Ops) of NCB.
Malhotra said that the NCB team further recovered 46 tablets (17.5 grams) of ecstasy from the Navi Mumbai residence of a couple who procured the drugs from Belgium.
"This couple, H A Choudhary and R Batharey sourced the drug from Belgium, was arrested and sent to Judicial Custody," said the deputy director.
As per Malhotra, the pills were seized from a parcel containing soft toys, but contrary to the usual modus operandi, the pills were not hidden inside soft toys but were concealed inside the false cavity in the cardboard box containing the consignment.
"The high-quality ecstasy pills seized were in different colours - orange, pink, and green. The drug was sourced from Brussels in Belgium and was meant for supply in the party circuits of Mumbai. NCB is investigating the linkages of this case to the wider syndicate trafficking supply of party drugs into India," he added.
MDMA (methylenedioxy-methamphetamine), commonly known as ecstasy, is a party drug that alters mood and perception, is chemically similar to both stimulants and hallucinogens and produces feelings of increased energy and pleasure.
As per UNODC World Drug Report 2020, "ecstasy" continues to be manufactured primarily in Europe, most notably in Western and Central Europe. Europe accounts for two-thirds of the "ecstasy" laboratories dismantled worldwide.
"The current seizure of ecstasy is sourced from Belgium and has its sources in Central Europe. The total quantity of "ecstasy" seized worldwide has doubled over the period 2009-2018. This is also reflected in the rapidly increasing popularity of such synthetic drugs in India," Malhotra added. (ANI)