Police find 84 kg of party drug under tattoo stickers
In one of the biggest drug seizures in a decade, the Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai police seized 84kg of party drug amphetamine worth Rs. 8.4 crore on Tuesday, from an international courier company. The company was located in Andheri (East).
In one of the biggest drug seizures in a decade, the Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai police seized 84kg of party drug amphetamine worth Rs. 8.4 crore on Tuesday, from an international courier company. The company was located in Andheri (East).
The contraband was kept in four cardboard boxes covered with tattoo stickers, and was being sent to Malaysia.
According to officials, the ANC’s Bandra unit received a tip off that narcotic contraband was being sent overseas. A team of officials then raided the office of the courier company in Andheri.
On opening the boxes, they found the drugs hidden in plastic bags under the stickers.
“The courier was listed as tattoo stickers, to be sent to Malaysia. We found amphetamine at the base of the four boxes. We have details of the receiver and the person who registered the courier and are on the lookout for him,” said VB Deshmukh, deputy commissioner of police (ANC). Officials said that the cost of the seized contraband in the international market is around Rs85 crore.
The police have sent samples for chemical testing to confirm that it is amphetamine and are awaiting the results.
The investigations so far have revealed that the sender and receiver of the courier are both of Indian origin.
The sender is not from Mumbai. However, police refused to divulge more on his identity. Officials said that they would get more details about the receiver once they catch the sender. However, investigators are also leaving room for the possibility that the identities and addresses of the sender and receiver could be false, as smugglers often use fake documents for such dealings.
Officials have registered a case under relevant sections of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and officials are tracing the accused.
About the party drug
What is Amphetamine?
It is a stimulant and an appetite suppressant. Amphetamine stimulates the central nervous system. It is commonly used to treat attention-deficit disorder.
Effects of Amphetamine
The psychological effects of Amphetamine include euphoria and increased aggression. The effects are similar to that of cocaine. Withdrawal from use of Amphetamine causes anxiety, depression and fatigue.
Recent drug seizures by ANC
August 4: The Azad Maidan unit of Mumbai police’s Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) arrested two foreign nationals (a Nigerian and a Zambian) from south Mumbai and seized one kg of cocaine
July 31: Worli unit of the ANC nabbed five drug peddlers of Nigerian origin from Masjid Bunder in south Mumbai and seized 260 grams of cocaine from them.
July 19: The ANC arrested two Nigerians near Andheri railway station and seized 450 grams of cocaine
July 9: The Azad Maidan unit of ANC caught a Nigerian national from Masjid Bunder in south Mumbai and recovered 50 gm cocaine from him.