ANC raids Andheri hotel, seizes 74 kg of banned substance worth R 1.85 cr packed in 11 thermoses to be sent to Bangkok and Malaysia as cargo
ANC raids Andheri hotel, seizes 74 kg of banned substance worth R 1.85 cr packed in 11 thermoses to be sent to Bangkok and Malaysia as cargo
A drug bust by the Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Crime Branch is presently keeping the police on its toes, and the two suspects nabbed with 74 kg of ephedrine worth Rs 1.85 crore are being grilled to establish whether the consignment was intended for the underworld.
Sources state that it is very likely that denizens of the underworld holed up in Malaysia and Thailand, could have ordered the drugs from India, where it is easily available. Some shooters of the underworld are even addicted to cough syrups as a substitute for hard drugs like coke or charlie (cocaine) and khaki or brown Sugar.
Recent trends indicate that members of the underworld are switching to dealing drugs like ephedrine, which is easily available compared to other expensive designer drugs, and also to evade arrest and severe punishment associated with dealing other drugs.
According to Parasekar, an informer told him that one Dominic Nair would deliver the packets of ephedrine and containers to the suspects at the hotel. The containers were then to be hollowed out with a drill and the drug filled into the cavities and sealed. The duo would then re-pack each thermos individually and addressed them to receivers at Bangkok via air cargo. Paraskar said that the duo has sent 10 such containers earlier and also couriered ephedrine through Mumbai and Bangalore as cargo.
"Ephedrine is used to manufacture anesthetics drugs and is a banned substance in India. The two have just been arrested and it is too early to comment about their links. We are however on the trail of those supplying them and the receivers in foreign countries. We have seized three passports and their mobile phones from the hotel room and will use them to establish details of contacts through calls made and received. Prima facie, it is believed that the hotel staff was clueless about the activities," said Paraskar. "We would also find out whether airport or cargo staff are involved in the racket," added Paraskar.
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