Panaji: Israeli drug baron Yaniv Benaim alias
Atala has been nabbed by Interpol in his home country, a
senior police officer said on Sunday.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Ravindra Yadav said that they have received a fax informing about Atala's
arrest in Israel.
The drug baron was a major link in the policemen-drug
peddlers nexus case in which seven officers were arrested for
allegedly pushing narcotics in the state's coastal belt.
Yadav said Goa police will now expedite proceedings
to get Atala extradited here.
The Israeli drug lord went missing on August 7, 2010 when
the crime branch called him for recording his statement.
Atala was arrested by crime branch on March 11, 2010
after his ex-girlfriend Lucky Farmhouse exposed tapes which
showed him confessing his links with the police. Later he got
bail and fled the country.
The probe had even led police to state Home Minister Ravi
Naik's son Roy, who was accused by Lucky of frequenting their
place in Anjuna in Goa.
The investigation -- after Atala's confession -- had led
to series of arrests including that of former Anti-narcotic
cell chief Ashish Shirodkar.
The probe had also revealed that the drugs seized by
police had gone missing many times.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, January 09, 2011, 20:47