Drugs worth Rs 4 Crore seized in Delhi, 1 arrested in Mumbai

New Delhi:

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) announced on Saturday that it had seized cocaine worth around Rs 4 crore, arrested a person from Mumbai and investigated an illegal narcotics distribution network in the western metropolis which has “possible links” with “high level” drug users.

The federal agency seized a total of 670g of cocaine in a package that arrived in Delhi from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, earlier this month.

“The contraband was concealed in a parcel containing sewing materials or a roll of thread,” said NCB deputy director (operations) KPS Malhotra.

The agency carried out a “controlled delivery” operation and subsequently arrested the recipient of the package, S Ghangale, a resident of the Vasai area of ​​Mumbai, he said.

The Controlled Delivery Mechanism allows NCB to keep the package delivery alive, even after seizing the contraband, and replace it with a dummy package.

Under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), the Director General of the PNE is authorized to order a controlled delivery operation to unravel all layers of a drug cartel or syndicate.

BCN director general Rakesh Asthana issued the supervised delivery order in the case, Malhotra said.

“The review of the arrested man unraveled the network and the modus operandi. Ghangale has ties to a few prominent drug traffickers in Mumbai, who have the dual profile of being both a real estate dealer or a construction contractor and a drug dealer, ”said Mr Dit Malhotra.

The network also has the participation of DJs and other party planners, who are connected to Mumbai’s party circles, he said.

“The (narcotics) distribution network in Mumbai under investigation … has possible links to high level users,” he said.

The man has been taken into pre-trial detention and will be presented to a Delhi court, the Narcotics Control Bureau officer said.

Another official said the amount of cocaine seized was worth around Rs 4 crore on the international market.