NCB seizes drugs worth ₹135 crore in multiple operations

The Narcotics Control Bureau's Mumbai unit has seized narcotics worth ₹135 crore ($18 million) and arrested nine individuals involved in inter-state and international drug trafficking networks. The consignments included cocaine and Alprazolam, a pharmaceutical-based medicine used recreationally. The agency also uncovered a network involved in the illicit trafficking of drugs from foreign sources into Mumbai.

MUMBAI: Narcotics Control Bureau’s Mumbai zonal unit has seized consignments of high-value narcotics worth ₹135 crore, including cocaine and an illicitly manufactured pharmaceutical-based medicine Alprazolam which is used for recreational purposes. The agency also arrested nine persons in three separate operations targeting inter-state and international narcotics trafficking networks.

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In one of its operations related to the alleged seizure of cocaine from a 60-year-old Nigerian national, Paul Ikenna alias Bossman, staying in Navi Mumbai, the agency made five arrests, including of a private bank’s then operations manager and a landlord for alleged abetment and role in the conspiracy related to their non-conduct of due diligence while allowing him the access to a bank account and a rented accommodation, respectively, NCB officials said on Friday.

NCB seized a total of 6.95 kg of cocaine and 199.25 kg Alprazolam and arrested three foreign nationals, out of the nine arrests of the accused in the three cases in all. During NCB’s verification, it was revealed allegedly that Ikenna was involved in drug trafficking for a long time had been twice arrested by the NCB and had even served a jail - term after his conviction in one of the two cases.

“A foreign national, who gets arrested twice for narcotics trafficking and is a habitual offender, like Paul Ikenna, should have been deported a long time ago. after he had served his jail term but he was not. It’s a serious issue that all stakeholders in the system will have to look into to ensure such a thing does not happen. The NCB case probe will make its suggestions to the concerned department if any negligence is revealed in this connection,” NCB’s deputy director general (south-west and south regions) SK Singh said.

Ikenna came under the scanner of the NCB when it learnt of a network involved in the illicit trafficking of drugs from foreign sources into Mumbai for further distribution to other cities like Goa, Bengaluru, Delhi and Hyderabad. NCB identified a Kharghar, Navi Mumbai - based Nigerian network that had allegedly received a consignment of cocaine for distribution, with which Ikenna was allegedly involved. On September 2, Ikenna was intercepted at his home in Kharghar and during the house’s search, a total of 1.95 kg of cocaine was allegedly seized.

Based on his leads, two Surat-based persons who were allegedly procuring the drugs from him for distribution, Sakir and Sufiyan, were arrested by the NCB. It was alleged that Ikenna was in contact with a Telangana - based syndicate to procure cocaine in lieu of a pharma - based contraband that is used as a pain reliever, Tramadol, as part of a barter arrangement. Tramadol has a huge demand in Nigeria and Europe, according to NCB sources.

“A landlord from Mira Road was arrested for facilitating the illegal shelter of Ikenna. A bank manager was also arrested for facilitating the laundering of drug money,” Singh said. NCB ‘s probe revealed that Ikenna identity documents, including an Aadhar card, were bogus and despite that he could open a bank account in the name of a Nigerian woman to launder drugs’ sale proceeds for his family expenses including payment of school fees for his children.

“The Nigerian woman was treated as a resident Indian and allowed to open a bank account without complying with the requirements when dealing with a foreigner. The landlord too did not get police verification done for Ikenna. The school too gave admissions to Ikenna’s children without the conduct of due diligence,” an NCB official said.

Ikenna was arrested by NCB’s Mumbai unit in 1989, in a case related to the seizure of four kg of heroin, and in 2001, in a case related to seizure of 11 kg of heroin case, in which he was convicted. He was also allegedly involved in an NCB Bengaluru case of January 2023 related to seizure of 19 kg of Tramadol.

In the second operation, the NCB 2.18 kg of cocaine allegedly came from the baggage of a Bolivian female courier, Evelina Alvarez A, from a Khetwadi hotel, who arrived in the city from São Paulo, Brazil, via Dubai on October 12. Another Bolivian female, Gloria Ilorca C, also accompanied Evelina, from whom the NCB allegedly seized cocaine of 2.82 kg. “The drugs were carefully concealed among non-suspicious items such as undergarments, clothes, toothpaste, cosmetic tubes, soap, footwear, makeup kit. The drugs were concealed in the form of powder, liquid, paste which could be easily planted among regular items,” said NCB Mumbai Zonal Unit’s Zonal Director, Amit Ghawate.

In its third operation, the NCB, based on intelligence developed by it, intercepted a vehicle on October six, near Kanhur Mesai, Shirur, Pune, whose examination yielded a suspicious powder and some laboratory equipment. The NCB team learnt of the existence of an illegal, clandestine factory in the adjacent Mida Gulwadi area. On verification, it was found that there was a sophisticated, state-of-the-art laboratory in the said factory shed whose examination yielded 173.35 kg Alprazolam, along with a huge stock of raw material required for its making, reactors and generators. An accused present there was nabbed revealing the presence of another such laboratory close by, at Narayangaon, Pune.

In this laboratory too, 25.95 kg of Alprazolam was found along with a huge stock of raw material. It was revealed that the syndicate’s wanted kingpin, who ran the two laboratories with the help of a wanted chemist, had allegedly taken care to suppress the strong smell of the illicitly made Alprazolam by locating the two units near a poultry farm and a Chikoo farm, NCB sources said. An accused who went to Hyderabad for the alleged sale of Alprazolam was nabbed too.

“The illegal alprazolam manufactured was sold in Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, especially for making illegal Todi. The key members of the syndicate were identified and further investigation is in progress,” Ghawate said.