DRI, Mumbai seizes 9.829 kg cocaine worth Rs 100 crores
Mar 19, 2024
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 19 : In a major success in curbing the drug menace, the DRI (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence) officers have knocked down an international drug smuggling syndicate seizing 9.829 kgs of Cocaine having an illicit market value of approximately Rs 100 Crores and apprehended two women passengers, stated the press release from DRI.
The arrested passengers were of Indonesian and Thai nationality and had come from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to smuggle the said quantity of Cocaine into India, said the press release.
Interrogation of the passengers and swift analysis of the case data vis-a-vis records revealed that the said drugs were destined for drug smuggling and trafficking syndicates based in Delhi and nearby areas. One team of DRI officers stationed in Mumbai placed surveillance and started monitoring syndicate activities while one team of DRI Mumbai officers was deployed and rushed to Delhi to apprehend the other key members of the syndicate, said officials.
In a swift action, MZU officers reached Delhi and they kept surveillance overnight and were successful in catching the prospective recipient of the seized substance (African National). Officers laid a trap in Greater Noida with the help of local officers and identified the mastermind. During the interception, the mastermind got violent and he sprinted by pushing the officers with his full might, added officials.
DRI officers, in a dramatic chase, apprehended the said Nigerian mastermind and his associate. The officers as well as the accused got mildly injured during the chase.
Subsequently, both these members of the international drug smuggling syndicate along with the above-mentioned two passengers have been arrested by DRI, Mumbai under provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985.
In the entire operation, the recovery of illegal drugs was made before the same could be delivered to said international drug smuggling syndicate based in India, having its expanse in Ethiopia, Sri Lanka and Nigeria.
It establishes that DRI as an intelligence agency is determined to curb the drug menace in India to protect and safeguard the social fabric; and that this agency not only acts as a barrier for incoming-outgoing of drugs at Indian boundaries but is also determined to decimate the entire syndicate operating this illegal cartel, the DRI press release stated.
