PANAJI: The Goa Police Crime Branch has seized 4.32 kg cocaine worth ₹43.2 crore from the custody of three people, including a husband-wife duo, who had concealed the consignment in chocolate and coffee packets while on the way to delivering them.
According to Crime Branch superintendent of police (SP) Rahul Gupta, they received information about the delivery of a consignment of unknown drugs, based on which they conducted a raid.
“The cocaine was found to be ferried by one Nibu Vincent. We have arrested three people -- Nibu Vincent and Reshma Wadekar and her husband Manguesh Wadekar Sada Vasco,” the SP said.
“When we apprehended them, we found them to be carrying a consignment of packets with some white powder around the edges. It looked like cocaine. They were disguised in and packed in chocolate and coffee packets. The consignment contained multiple packets. Based on texture and smell we felt it might be cocaine. We did on the spot testing using field testing kits and it was found positive to be cocaine,” Gupta said.
“The total amount seized is 4.32 kgs of drugs with a value of ₹43.2 crore. This is now the highest recovery of the Goa Police. Our previous highest drug haul was of ₹11-crore hydroponic weed, and today within a month we have surpassed the highest drug haul,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“The total amount seized is 4.32 kgs of drugs with a value of ₹43.2 crore. This is now the highest recovery of the Goa Police. Our previous highest drug haul was of ₹11-crore hydroponic weed, and today within a month we have surpassed the highest drug haul,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Goa’s previous highest drug haul in terms of value was made on March 8 this year when officials of the Crime Branch intercepted a consignment of hydroponically grown weed believed to have been sourced from Thailand allegedly worth ₹11.67 crore.
The latest seizure is also believed to have originated in Thailand, police said.
“We believe that the source of drugs is from outside India since she had recently travelled abroad to Thailand. We are investigating to understand under whose instructions she was operating,” Gupta said.
The interrogation so far revealed that Reshma Wadekar used to procure the drugs and sell it off via her husband and Nibu Vincent.
Seizures of commercial quantities of cocaine in Goa are rare; however, this year the Crime Branch has booked eight cases, arrested 12 people and seized drugs of all types worth ₹55.27 crore.
According to police, Reshma was previously arrested in a case related to prostitution while her husband Manguesh was arrested in a rape case.