2 foreign nationals arrested for smuggling 2kg cocaine

Mumbai NCB busts drug syndicate, arrests two foreigners with two kilograms of cocaine. Alerted multiple cities during festival season.

MUMBAI: Mumbai zonal unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has busted a drug syndicate by arresting two foreign nationals – one from the city and the other, a woman from Delhi, and allegedly seized two kilograms of cocaine.

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Given the festival season, NCB had alerted its network in multiple cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Goa, which are major hubs for drug suppliers and consumers. Acting on a tip-off, the agency first arrested suspected drug supplier LA Gilmore, a Zambian national, and found two kilograms of cocaine in his possession and was arrested from a city hotel. Based on his revelation, MR Augustino, a Tanzanian woman was arrested from Delhi, said Amit Ghawate, NCB zonal director.

According to the details received by NCB, the carrier was to stay in a city hotel, and the NCB officials raided the hotel and apprehended the Zambian national. On searching his hotel room, the officials found certain suspicious items in his belongings and abnormalities in his baggage, said the NCB official. The official then cut open his bag and recovered two packets from hidden compartments. The contents of the packets tested positive for cocaine on field testing kits. The contraband material weighed around 2 kilograms, added the official.

Gilmore had arrived in Mumbai on November 9 by flight, and during interrogation, he confessed that he had visited Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from Lusaka, Zambia, to collect the drug consignment. He also revealed information about some intermediaries in the region linked with drug trafficking.

During further questioning, it was learnt that he asked his handler to deliver the contraband to Delhi. The NCB Mumbai team then rushed to Delhi and laid a trap to catch the Tanzanian woman - Augustino, who was to receive the consignment from Gilmore.

The two foreign nationals have been booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985.