The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Tuesday said it had conducted eight operations across the city in the last two days and registered six cases in which narcotics were dispensed from the city in various articles ranging from stethoscope packets to cycling helmets to several countries. .
In all these cases, the articles had to be couriered through air mail before being confiscated by the NCB. The agency suspects there was a demand for 10 kilograms of contraband containing amphetamine, opium and zolpidem tablets because of New Year’s parties in a few weeks.
NCB Mumbai Zonal Unit Director Sameer Wankhede Said, “In total eight operations, we have registered six cases and nabbed one foreign national from Ivory Coast. He will be arrested as he is involved in some of these cases.” He said that some courier companies involved in these cases are also under the scanner of NCB.
The first operation was done in Andheri East from where NCB seized 490 grams of amphetamine hidden in stethoscope cases and was meant for Australia. Wankhede said amphetamine is a “rich man’s drug” that is in high demand in Australia.
In the second case, about 4 kg of opium was found hidden inside a microwave oven in Andheri. It was destined for Male in the Maldives. In the third case, about 2.5 kg – i.e. more than 10000 tablets – of zolpidem tablets were seized from edible and grocery in Andheri. This was for Texas in the USA.
In the fourth case, 941 grams of amphetamine was concealed in cycling helmets and bangles. These were also for Australia.
In the fifth case, 848 grams of amphetamine hidden in a hose pipe was confiscated from a courier agency in Dongri. It was destined for Dubai and New Zealand.
In the sixth operation, 17 grams of amphetamine were hidden in a 1 TB hard disk made for Switzerland. The official said that it was an inter-state racket.
Whenever an order was received from any of these countries, some of the main accused, such as citizens of the Ivory Coast, arranged a package that could be smuggled abroad.
The official said that this process was going on for the last two months. The official said, “In India, and especially in areas around Mumbai, since synthetic drugs like amphetamines are manufactured, which have a high demand in countries like Australia, it has become a hub for supply of narcotics through such courier services. Gone,” said the officer.
He said that without a tip, it would have been difficult to track down the banned substance. “These medicines would have been difficult to find by airport customs as they were well packaged,” the official said.
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