Mumbai airport: NCB seizes 2.8 kg cocaine worth Rs 20 Cr, arrests 2 foreign nationals part of international syndicate

Mumbai: In an effective operational intelligence co-ordination, NCB has successfully busted an international drug trafficking syndicate wherein NCB-Mumbai has seized a consignment of Cocaine which was ultimately destined to Mumbai area. In this connection, two foreign nationals are also arrested from Mumbai. In its ongoing heightened operational mode, information about supply of consignment of drugs into Mumbai by an international syndicate was gathered by NCB-Mumbai.

Khalistani terrorist Harvinder Singh Sandhu dies of drug overdose in Pak hospitalCocaine meticulously concealed among unsuspecting itemsAccordingly, the officers of NCB-Mumbai worked out and after diligent analysis, an actionable input was generated wherein a South African lady named Marinda S. was identified. Immediately, sources were contacted after which it was analysed that the carrier was to air travel from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Mumbai on November 20.

Accordingly, the NCB-Mumbai officials immediately moved to CSMI Airport, Mumbai and set up a layout to apprehend the said lady. Shortly, as the flight from Addis Ababa arrived the lady was physically identified and intercepted. Thereafter, a search in accordance of legal procedure led to recovery of 2.

800 kgs of fine quality Cocaine from her belongings which were meticulously concealed among unsuspecting items. The contraband in 08 packets of different sizes was concealed in 2 pair shoes, 2 purses very carefully by crafting special cavities.  Thereafter, the contraband was seized and the lady was held up for further questioning.

 During the course of interrogation, she revealed that she was to deliver the consignment to a person in a hotel located at Andheri, Mumbai. Immediately, a team reached the hotel and mounted a discreet surveillance. In a while, a lady of African origin arrived and waited in the area with suspicious movement.

As the lady was about to leave, she was intercepted and questioned to which she, Ms. H. Musa, a Nigerian national, could not reply satisfactorily.

Upon strict questioning, Ms. H. Musa confessed that she was to receive the consignment from the South African lady, Marinda S and further distribute in Mumbai.

Corroborative evidences with incriminating data were recovered from the ladies which indicate their association with the international drug trafficking syndicate with its tentacles spread across various countries.  The drug was sourced from South America which is hotbed for the illicit production of Cocaine. The seizure of the consignment is a notable achievement as the local drug trafficking circuits are interested to supply the party drugs for the forthcoming festive season in Mumbai, Goa and nearby areas.

The apprehended ladies are being interrogated to gather further details about the local and kingpins based in offshore countries. Further investigation is underway. In week-long drive, NCB-Mumbai seizes multiple drugs worth Rs 1 crore, busts international syndicates; locals arrested.