Amboli cops seize Rs 38 crore cocaine hidden in curtain rings and rods

(From left) Febia Onkonkwo, Michael Hope, Simon Agbata and Carla Pinto

The Amboli Police seized one of biggest hauls of cocaine this year on Sunday morning. The 6.5 kg of cocaine, worth over Rs 38 crore, concealed in curtain rings and rods, was supposed to be supplied to Johannesburg, South Africa and Auckland, New Zealand.

The drugs were seized from Andheri. Three Nigerian men, identified as Febia Onkonkwo, Simon Agbata, and Michel Hope, along with a Brazilian woman identified as Carla Pinto Iris, have been arrested under various sections of the NDPS Act.

Amboli police inspector Daya Nayak got a tip-off about the syndicate, after which the team carried out raids, and arrested the accused from Andheri. Cops also raided an apartment in Koparkhairane from where various machines used to package the drugs were seized. The modus operandi of the group was a real curtain-raiser.

Additional commissioner of police, Manoj Kumar Sharma said, "We were surprised upon recovering a number of curtains, curtain rings and rods from them. The drugs were being concealed inside the curtain rings and rods, and packed in small boxes to hide from agencies. We are also verifying if courier agencies are involved in the smuggling. As of now, probe has revealed that the accused has already supplied one consignment to South Africa." The arrested accused have confessed that the consignment to South Africa was worth Rs 100 crore.

"This seems to be a bigger international drug cartel and we are digging deeper to reach this gang. The involvement of some Indians cannot be denied," he added. All the accused were produced before the Bandra magistrate court and sent to police custody till February 16.

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