Mumbai: NCB Busts International Drug Racket, Seizes Medicines Worth INR 3 Cr

Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)’s Mumbai zonal unit seized illegally diverted pharmaceutical drugs worth around INR 3 crore. They have also arrested three alleged operatives of an international narcotics trafficking syndicate this week.

The seized drugs were allegedly being exported to Australia and other countries. The pharmaceutical drugs that were found to have been illegally diverted included 9.87 kg of Amphetamine, 2.54 kilogram (9800 pills) of Zolpidem Tartrate, and 6.54 kg (18,700 tablets) of Tramadol.

In a parcel, the Amphetamine drug was being exported to Australia. After finding out about the parcel, the NCB carried out a deep investigation. The probe then led to the arrest of a man allegedly associated with the seized drug consignment.

After further probing into the matter, the NCB apprehended two of the accused's Mumbai-based associates and confiscated a shipment of Zolpidem Tartrate and Tramadol that was intended to be secretly sent overseas.

The Mumbai unit of NCB did a deep dig while investigating this case. They gathered information on a consignment being shipped to Australia through an international courier.

A package was located and intercepted at an international courier in Mumbai after thorough data analysis by the agency. Steel table furniture was found within the shipment upon opening. When something white and powdery was discovered jammed inside the table's precisely crafted cavities, it tested positive for Amphetamine.

Further, the probe led the NCB to detain and inquire accused, V Singh, who allegedly confessed to his involvement. Then based on his interrogation, two of his associates, G Mishra and P Sharma, were arrested by the NCB. A huge consignment of illegally diverted pharmaceutical drugs was found from their premises. The consignment was ready to be dispatched to foreign countries in the coming days.

NCB’s Zonal Director of Mumbai, Amit Ghawate said that while they were investigating, they found out that the accused persons are well acquainted with the functioning of international parcel mechanism. The accused have been involved in the trafficking of drugs in the past as well. Over the previous two to three years, the syndicate has been in this business and has been misusing paperwork to transport such drug consignments, Ghawate stated.

Based on information gathered by intelligence services, the operation was conducted to stop drugs from being illegally diverted from India to other countries.

In November 2023, the Mumbai zonal unit of NCB dismantled a major drug syndicate with operations spanning across India and arrested two foreign nationals involved in the drug smuggling.

The first arrest took place on November 9 at a Mumbai hotel when LA Gilmore, a citizen of Zambia, was taken into custody by NCB agents. Furthermore, two kilograms of cocaine worth more than INR 20 crores were confiscated from the accused by the authorities.

Two days later, in Delhi, the second accused, a Tanzanian woman, was apprehended as a result of the arrest.

In response to intelligence inputs regarding a global drug trafficking organisation that intended to smuggle cocaine into India, NCB Mumbai dispatched a squad to monitor a hotel where the suspected Zambian was supposed to stay.