BENGALURU: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Sunday busted an international heroin trafficking module and seized about 12 kg of the banned substance from international courier consignments, worth around Rs 48 crore, in New Delhi. “Besides this, the NCB has also seized another 2 kg of heroin, while two other parcels of unknown quantity have been traced live and will be seized soon,” said NCB Deputy Director K P S Malhotra.
The central anti-drug agency arrested seven people, including one African and one Burmese national, in the case. “The mastermind of the international drug syndicate is operating from overseas using fake documents and multi-layered logistics to maintain anonymity and to hoodwink the law enforcement agencies,” said Malhotra.
On September 1, acting on a tip-off, the NCB seized a parcel at Aramex courier services in New Delhi, which contained 980 gm of heroin. “The consignor address of the parcel was South Africa-based. The operation was conducted through controlled delivery procedures under the orders of the Director General, NCB, Rakesh Asthana, to unearth the syndicate,” he said.
The controlled delivery mechanism empowered the NCB to keep the parcel delivery alive, even after seizing the contraband and replacing the same with a dummy parcel. On September 2, the NCB arrested one person, identified as Wahid. He reportedly disclosed that he was regularly getting the deliveries of the contraband drugs on behalf of one Mohsin.
The NCB arrested Mohsin along with three of associates – Shahjahan, Hanif and Munnasir – from a hotel at Mahipalpur in Delhi. Their interrogation and digital forensics revealed the courier parcel containing 980 gm of heroin was to be handed over to an African national named Frank. “The live operation, using the controlled delivery mechanism, was utilised to contact Frank. He had sent a woman of Burmese nationality to collect the parcel.
She disclosed that she was tasked to hand over the parcels to those person whom Frank would authorise. The NCB subsequently arrested Emmanuel, who was the alleged receiver of the consignment,” said the officer. “The digital forensic analysis and footprint has revealed the drug syndicate has trafficked 10 such parcels containing approximately 1 kg heroin each during the lockdown. The trails of these deliveries are under investigation,” said Malhotra, adding that the drug mafia is exploiting the courier route for smuggling high-quality contraband narcotic drugs into India during the pandemic.
Inter-connection of contraband supply
The international drug trafficking is related to the increasing demand of contraband drugs in metro cities. The ongoing investigation by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has exposed an inter-connection of demand and supply of contraband in Delhi, Mumbai, Goa and Bengaluru.