E-Paper
10kg cocaine haul in Chandigarh: Mastermind, aide nabbed
Police inform NCB about another 150kg courier package with concealed drugs already on its way to Australia
Police have arrested two more Chennai men for their involvement in the smuggling of the 10.24kg cocaine recovered from their aide here on May 13.
The accused have been identified as Vijay Kumar, 41, and N Jaffer Shariff, 28. They were arrested from Chennai on the disclosure of Ashfaq Rahman, who was the first to be arrested on May 13 following the recovery of the cocaine in one of the biggest narcotic seizures ever in Chandigarh.
According to investigators, Shariff is among the masterminds of the racket wherein the accused smuggled drugs abroad through couriers.
The duo will be produced before a Chandigarh court on Thursday.
Rahman was caught while preparing to courier the contraband to Australia.
The cocaine, packed in two cartons of crockery boxes, was discovered by the employees at Excel Worldwide Courier Agency in Industrial Area, Phase 2, who further alerted the police.
The UT Police have also informed the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) regarding a consignment of drugs sent via courier to Australia in April this year. “Investigations have pointed out that in April, the accused had succeeded in shipping a big consignment of drugs to Australia through Fedex company. The drugs were concealed in medical equipment in six cartons weighing more than 150kg,” said Kuldeep Singh Chahal, senior superintendent of police, Chandigarh.
He added that NCB had been informed regarding this consignment, which was still on its way to Australia. “The bureau has been alerted to track the consignment through proper channel with the respective countries,” the SSP added.
Apart from this, police have also shared information in this regard with the Enforcement Directorate; special branch, counter intelligence, Delhi; and special task force of Punjab Police.
