Mumbai: The Mumbai unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Saturday seized consignments of alleged illicitly diverted pharmaceutical drugs worth ₹75 lakh, and a batch of 2.44 lakh sticks of purported fake cigarettes in the name of multiple brands, meant for transport to London, United Kingdom (UK), from the Air Cargo Terminal, Mumbai airport, in a preventive operation. While an international smuggling syndicate’s involvement is suspected in the case by the NCB, it has also taken two city-based courier-logistics firms under its scanner.
The seized illicitly diverted pharmaceutical drugs were found in 74,000 capsules, the sources said. While all the articles were seized by the NCB on the spot, the illicitly diverted pharmaceutical drugs were taken into possession by it for an in-depth investigation, the seized cigarettes were handed over to Customs, Mumbai, agency sources said.
The agency began its operation based on intelligence received a few days ago that pointed to bulk air cargo being allegedly misused for transportation purposes. It also directed them about involvement by an international syndicate in procuring the pharmaceutical drugs to be further transported to overseas customers. Based on this, the agency began its initial probe, after which it gathered that a bulk consignment was in process of being transported to London. After extensive surveillance, two containers belonging to an Andheri-based logistics company were identified. The movement of both the containers was ceased at the Air Cargo terminal at Mumbai airport. An NCB-Mumbai team reached the spot to initiate a preventive action late night on Friday to conduct a tactical search operation, agency sources said.
The search of one of containers identified by the NCB team led to the alleged recovery of 74,000 capsules of pharmaceutical drugs and 40,000 cigarettes belonging to one of the logistics firms. After searching the other container, a total of 2.44 lakh sticks of purportedly fake cigarettes that went by multiple brands were allegedly recovered. The seized articles were allegedly concealed among loads of other bags containing non-suspicious food items. Two such containers were examined by the NCB, which later verified that goods were allegedly mis-declared as food items.
{{/usCountry}}The search of one of containers identified by the NCB team led to the alleged recovery of 74,000 capsules of pharmaceutical drugs and 40,000 cigarettes belonging to one of the logistics firms. After searching the other container, a total of 2.44 lakh sticks of purportedly fake cigarettes that went by multiple brands were allegedly recovered. The seized articles were allegedly concealed among loads of other bags containing non-suspicious food items. Two such containers were examined by the NCB, which later verified that goods were allegedly mis-declared as food items.
{{/usCountry}}Agency sources said that NCB is investigating role of alleged smuggling syndicate and if there were any lapse in screening the goods meant for transport.
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