Mumbai: NCB seizes drugs worth Rs 13 crore, raids various locations

The seized drugs were to be smuggled to Australia, New Zealand, Maldives, Dubai, USA, hidden in stethoscopes, ties, bicycle helmets, ovens, bangles, food bags

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has exposed the smuggling of drugs from Mumbai to foreign countries for the New Year's Eve party. Over the past two days, the NCB has taken action in eight places in Mumbai and seized drugs worth around Rs 13 crore.

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The seized drugs were to be smuggled to Australia, New Zealand, Maldives, Dubai, USA, hidden in stethoscopes, ties, bicycle helmets, ovens, bangles, food bags. The NCB says this is a new method of drug trafficking.

According to the NCB, the agency received the information that drugs were being flown to Australia, Dubai, the USA, New Zealand and the Maldives by some courier companies in Mumbai. Following that information, NCB's Mumbai team raided eight places.

The NCB raided a courier company in Andheri and confiscated a box, which had a stethoscope. When the stethoscope was opened, 490 grams of amphetamine was seized from it. After this NCB took action in Dongri. Amphetamine shipped to Australia has also been confiscated. NCB then again raided the courier's office in Andheri and seized the oven parcel to be sent to the Maldives, they seized 3.906 grams of drugs hidden in the oven.

After this action, NCB again raided a courier company in Andheri and Zolpidem tablet was seized. These tablets were being sent to America. The NCB team also visited the office of a courier at Andheri Cargo. The NCB seized a parcel and it contained a bicycle helmet. When the agency opened the helmet, 941 grams of amphetamine was found in it. The helmet was going from Mumbai to Australia.

The NCB raided a courier company in Andheri and confiscated a box, which had a stethoscope. When the stethoscope was opened, 490 grams of amphetamine was seized from it

Following the operation, the NCB seized 848 grams of amphetamine at Dongari. Those drugs were hidden in a pipe. The NCB also raided another courier company in Andheri. 17 grams of amphetamine was seized from a computer hard disk. The hard disk was to be shipped to Switzerland, an NCB official said. The NCB has arrested some people and their statements are being recorded.

John Bkayoko, who is an Ivory Coast citizen, has been arrested by the NCB in a drug trafficking case. Bkayoko was running a drug network in Mumbai. He used to send drugs abroad when orders came from Delhi, Chennai. NCB suspects that the drug money is coming through the hawala route.

NCB source told mid-day, "People from Delhi, Chennai and Haryana used to take orders for drugs from abroad and asked John Bkayoko to deliver the consignments of drugs. Bkayoko used to manufacture drugs in Mumbai and send them abroad with the help of couriers."

Mumbai NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede said, “During the investigation, it is being found that this drug smuggling gang is working secretly all over India. NCB is investigating how many parcels this gang has sent abroad so far."

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