New Delhi, April 5 (IANS) The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Wednesday sezied 1970 grams cocaine in Mumbai and arrested three persons including an African national in this regard.
"Based on the intelligence gathered by DRI, one male passenger (35), who arrived from Addis Ababa to Mumbai at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on April 4, was intercepted. Examination of the luggage of the passenger resulted into recovery of 1970 grams of white powder (cocaine) with an illicit market value of Rs 20 crore," an official said.
The official said that further to identify other members of the drug syndicate, the officers laid a trap and apprehended the recipient of the said contraband drugs.
The recipient came from Hyderabad to Mumbai to collect the drugs. This person was further supposed to deliver the drugs to an African person in Navi Mumbai.
"Efforts were made to identify and intercept the African person who appeared to be a key member of the drug syndicate. Another trap was laid in Navi Mumbai to intercept him and the culprit was successfully nabbed," the official said.
The DRI said that total three persons were arrested under the provisions of NDPS Act. Further investigation in the matter is on.
The identity of the two accused shooters -- Santosh Yadav and Nav Nath Suryawanshi -- was revealed during the interrogation of their close aide, Sidhesh Hiraman Kamle a.k.a. Mahakaal, who was arrested from Pune during a joint operation by the Delhi Police and the Maharashtra Police.
The Mumbai Police had also suspected the possible involvement of the Bishnoi gang, and as a precaution, beefed up security at the Khans' residence in Galaxy Apartments, Bandra West, since last Sunday.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said it received an email from Punjab Police with an attached letter of May 19 about Brar only on May 30, a day after Moosewala was shot dead.
Murder of Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala, allegedly on behalf of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, took place on May 29, 2022. Goldy Brar is a prime accused in the case. He has been accused of hiring gangsters to eliminate Moosewala.
The official informed that they received a call about the fire incident around 5.00 a.m. at the Main Tikona Park, Jamia Nagar in South-East Delhi after which as many as 11 fire tenders were immediately pressed into service. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
The BSF is interrogating the arrested smugglers. This is the second major incident of drugs being caught on the border in the last one week. Earlier also drug was dropped into India by using drones.
