Mumbai: NCB busts 'Indo-Australian drug syndicate', three held

The seized banned drugs. Pic/NCB

The Mumbai zonal unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Thursday said that it busted an 'Indo-Australian drug syndicate' and have seized huge quantity of banned drugs in the entire operation.

In the operation, the central agency have nabbed three suspects, the NCB said.

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According to the NCB, in an strategic follow up investigation, the NCB-Mumbai has successfully busted an international network involved in illicit trafficking of pharma drugs from India to Australia. Initially, intelligence was gathered wherein an international drug network was involved in illicit diversion of pharmaceutical drugs from India to foreign destinations, primarily to Australia.

Accordingly, the intelligence was further garnered after which an information was received wherein a consignment was being sent to Australia through international courier. Upon extensive data analysis, a parcel was identified, the parcel was intercepted at DHL courier, Mumbai. When opened, unsuspecting steel table furniture was found. When further examined closely, packets were found concealed inside the cavities specially designed in the table. When the packets were retrieved, all of them contained white powdery substance which when tested, indicate to be Amphetamine which weighed a total of 9.877 kgs, the NCB said.

"Immediately, detailed investigation was initiated, after which involvement of V. Singh was analysed," an official said.

Singh was intercepted on December 19 Mumbai and when questioned, he confessed about his involvement and revelation was made by him with specific details. Based on his revelation, two of his associates named G. Mishra and P. Sharma were intercepted in Mumbai, he said.

The NCB said, in further investigations, a huge consignment of illicitly diverted pharmaceutical drugs were found from their premises which were ready to be to a dispatched foreign destination. A total of 9,800 Zolpidem Tarterate tablets and 18,700 Tramadol tablets were seized during in this follow up action.

Accordingly, both G.Mishra & P.Sharma were arrested on December 20.

The NCB said, During investigation it has been noted that the persons are well acquainted with functioning of international parcel mechanism and have been involved in trafficking of drugs previously also. The syndicate were into this business for past 2-3 years and were misusing documents for sending such drug consignments.

Further investigations in the matter were underway, the official said.