29 October,2023 11:08 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has exposed an illicit drug manufacturing facility located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, stated a report in PTI. During the operation, authorities seized a substantial haul of 107 litres of liquid mephedrone, with an estimated street value of INR 160 crore. These actions transpired on Saturday as part of an investigative effort.
According to the report, the crackdown unfolded with searches conducted at two premises associated with a firm known as Apex Medichem Private Limited. These searches culminated in significant seizures, underscoring the gravity of the issue.
This operation represents a follow-up action following an initial probe initiated after the DRI's Pune unit, in collaboration with the Ahmedabad Crime Branch from the neighbouring state of Gujarat, had raided a factory in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on October 20, the report further stated. During that operation, authorities confiscated mephedrone, ketamine, and cocaine, all amounting to an estimated INR 250 crore in the illicit market.
The DRI operation underscores the escalating use of synthetic drugs and the exploitation of industrial facilities for the illicit production of narcotics, the report read. It also highlights the critical importance of inter-agency collaboration in addressing the narcotics menace in the country. Further investigations, in accordance with the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act provisions, are currently in progress.
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DRI seizes 7 kg of cocaine in Mumbai
Officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), last week, apprehended four individuals and confiscated approximately 7 kg of cocaine in a series of cases in Mumbai. The seized drugs hold an estimated value of Rs 70 crore in the international illicit market.
The DRI released an official statement reporting the success in four distinct cases, where a combined total of roughly 7 kg of cocaine, with an approximate worth of Rs 70 crore, was recovered. Among the four detained suspects, one is a woman, and two are Indian nationals, while the remaining two are foreign nationals, according to the official statement from the DRI.
One of the cases involved two individuals attempting to introduce drugs into the country by concealing them within the concealed compartments of their luggage. In the other two cases, the drug carriers had ingested drug-filled capsules, necessitating their admission to JJ Hospital for the extraction of the drug-laden capsules, the official statement noted.
Another seizure occurred at the residence of an Indian resident in Virar. The narcotic substance had been smuggled from Nairobi through Delhi airport. The DRI officials also discovered a firearm with live ammunition but without any documentation proving legal ownership. The recovered weapon has been handed over to local law enforcement for further investigation.
