Mumbai crime: NCB, ANC seize drugs worth Rs 130 crore in last six months

Photo for representational purpose

The Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) have seized drugs worth Rs 131 crore in the last six months in Mumbai, according to official data released on Sunday. The agencies have arrested 232 major drug suppliers in the city, of which 29 are foreign nationals from Nigeria, Britain, Zambia, South Africa, Congo, and other countries.

Multiple units of the ANC of the Mumbai Crime Branch have been probing people in different parts of the city for the last six months. The agency has seized drugs worth Rs 31 crore, registered 60 cases, and apprehended 88 accused, including ten foreign nationals within the Mumbai jurisdiction.

"The arrested foreigners are Nigerians who were found in Navi Mumbai and other adjoining areas of the city. We have communicated this to the Nigerian embassy as part of the process," said Datta Nalwade, Deputy Commissioner of Police, ANC.

The ANC has seized mostly Mephedrone and Cocaine from the Nigerian gang who were trafficking drugs using sea and air routes. "There is no major change in the modus operandi, but the poor from Nigeria are being used for smuggling. We don't see the involvement of Indian nationals in the Nigeria syndicate as they use members of their own community to maintain secrecy," Nalwade added.

Also read: Mumbai Crime: 29 held in anti-drugs campaign

On the other hand, the NCB, with a larger jurisdiction including Maharashtra and Goa, arrested 144 accused in 77 different cases. Out of 144, 19 are foreign nationals from South Africa, Britain, Nigeria, Zambia, Switzerland, and Congo.

"We have seized drugs worth Rs 100 crore, which included Tramadol, Ecstasy, LSD, Manali cream, Heroin, charas, codeine, and ganja. During operations, we have exposed various drug syndicates and dozens of gangs who were the major contributors in drug trafficking in the city," NCB's Zonal Unit director Sameer Wankhede said.

As part of prevention proceeds, the NCB froze properties worth Rs 10.21 crore purchased through drug smuggling. These properties are in the name of the arrested accused and their Benami properties worth Rs 100 crores are also under scanner.

The NCB has also written to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to probe the money laundering angle of the case.