The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has busted an international drugs racket and arrested three men from a warehouse in New Delhi, officials aware of the matter said on Saturday, adding that the drugs were being sent abroad under the guise of food products.
According to the agency, a fourth person, who is a film producer from Tamil Nadu, is on the run.
Acting on a tip-off from New Zealand and Australian police authorities, a joint team of NCB and Delhi police officers conducted a raid, and seized nearly 50kg pseudoephedrine (a narcotics-making chemical used to make methamphetamine) and arrested the three men from the godown in Basai Darapur on February 15.
NCB deputy director general, Gyaneshwar Singh said this operation took nearly four months.
“We received Information from New Zealand customs authorities and Australian police that large quantities of pseudoephedrine concealed in desiccated coconut powder was being sent to both countries. Further inputs from the US DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) indicated that the source of the consignments was Delhi,” Singh said, adding that probe revealed pseudoephedrine sells for approximately ₹1.5 crore per kg in Australia and New Zealand.
“To burst this nexus, a joint team of Delhi police special cell and NCB was constituted. After four months of surveillance by the teams, it was learnt that another consignment was going to be sent from Delhi soon. A round-the-clock physical surveillance was mounted by Delhi police special cell which eventually led us to their godown in Basai Darapur, West Delhi,” Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}“To burst this nexus, a joint team of Delhi police special cell and NCB was constituted. After four months of surveillance by the teams, it was learnt that another consignment was going to be sent from Delhi soon. A round-the-clock physical surveillance was mounted by Delhi police special cell which eventually led us to their godown in Basai Darapur, West Delhi,” Singh said.
{{/usCountry}}Illegal possession and trade of pseudoephedrine is punishable up to 10 years of imprisonment under the NDPS Act.