NCB busts interstate drug cartel, arrests three traffickers

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 21 (ANI): In a precise operation, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai on Sunday arrested three drug traffickers and recovered 3,000 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup (CBCS).

The arrested individuals have been identified as S R Ahmed, M Aslam, and Y Khan, who have been members of an interstate drug cartel and were ordered to distribute it in the Mumbai region.

The drug was sourced from Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh.

NCB team, after receiving information about their movement, mounted surveillance near the Ulhasnagar area of Thane and after continuous efforts, they intercepted and arrested them from the Ulhasnagar area of Mumbai while receiving contraband parcels from Transport Services.

Reportedly the involved interstate traffickers were using different transport services for illegal trafficking of CBCS by mis-declaring the transported goods.

Extensive efforts led to the interception of three traffickers and the recovery of illegally diverted 3000 CBCS bottles (300 kg).

The recovered illegally diverted 3000 CBCS bottles is worth Rs 15 lakhs.

All the arrested individuals have criminal backgrounds in drug trafficking from a long period of time.

Further, investigation is in progress.

NCB Mumbai is consequent upon the active intelligence and making diligent efforts to crack down the misuse of CBCS in Mumbai areas.

Earlier on July 17, the Narcotics Control Bureau of Mumbai arrested Sufiyan Khan, a key member of a drug syndicate on Wednesday morning after a prolonged operation to trace him.

Khan had been continually changing his hideouts and phone numbers and had gone into hiding since the Narcotics Control Bureau busted a drug syndicate in Navi Mumbai and seized 31.5 kg of mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant drug, last month.

Khan was apprehended from a lodge in Vashi on July 15 and is presently under the custody of NCB. Described by the Bureau as an important member of the drug syndicate, Khan used to operate from the Sewree area in Mumbai and has been involved in several police cases.