African national held with Rs 24 crore heroin at Mumbai airport

In NCB’s first big seizure since the Cordelia cruise drugs case, the agency nabbed the accused from airport, on the lookout for another accused who was supposed to get the delivery

An African national was nabbed by the NCB and heroin worth R24 crore was recovered from him at Mumbai International airport on Tuesday. The accused hid the contraband in a cavity made inside the trolley bag. This is the first big seizure by the agency in six months, after it got mired in a massive controversy following the arrest of actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan in the Cordelia cruise case. 

“NCB Mumbai, in its continuous fight against drug suppliers and peddlers in Mumbai, launched an operation and seized 3.98 kg of heroin. On the basis of specific information, a team of NCB Mumbai intercepted one South African national at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport,” said Brijendra Chowdhary, who holds additional charge of Mumbai NCB Zonal Director.

According to NCB, the accused arrived from South Africa and was carrying a red trolley bag. While searching his luggage, NCB officials found the cavity with four packets of white powder inside the trolley.

NCB officers are now working to track the person who was supposed to get the drugs. “The arrested accused was supposed to deliver the contraband to someone outside the airport. This appears to be some big syndicate that is supplying the drugs to suppliers in the city,” an NCB officer told mid-day.

In another operation, NCB Mumbai has seized 508 grams of Tramadol tablets, also known as ISIS drug, from a courier company in Andheri. Chowdhary said, based on reliable information, a team of NCB Mumbai seized 508 grams of Tramadol concealed in thread-wheels on Wednesday. The consignment was set to be sent to the USA.

“Follow-up operations are on to nab the consignor and other associates,” Chowdhary told mid-day. Tramadol is known to be used by terror organisations like ISIS to suppress pain and boost strength during injury, thus giving it the name ‘ISIS drug’.

NCB gets new Zonal Director 

A day after suspending two officers involved in the Cordelia cruise drug case, the Union home ministry has appointed 2008 batch IRS officer Amit Fakkad as NCB Mumbai Zonal Director. The post was vacant since January after Sameer Wankhede was transferred following a series of allegations.

Fakkad was posted as the zonal director of NCB Bangalore. Currently, he is on leave and IRS officer Brijendra Chowdhary holds the additional charge.

3.98 kg 
Weight of the seized heroin 

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