New Delhi: In a countrywide operation, the
DRI has arrested 10 people, including a US citizen, and seized
narcotic drugs worth Rs 20 crore which were allegedly being
shipped out in glucose and milk packets.
The Delhi zonal unit of the Directorate of Revenue
Intelligence (DRI) conducted simultaneous searches at various
locations in Mumbai, Delhi, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh over
the last weekend and apprehended ten people who were allegedly
involved in the manufacturing and sending couriers of these
narcotics illegally, sources said today.
Firdosh Mukaddam, a US green card holder, has been
arrested by the agency from Mumbai and is considered a crucial
link in the case.
The DRI, according to sources, suspects it to be the tip
of an international drug racket running across US, Canada and
Russia as few of the arrested have been caught for similar
offences earlier.
A special Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances
(NDPS) court here today remanded the 10 people in 14 days
judicial custody after DRI sleuths brought them from various
places.
The operation, which is still on in few states, is being
touted as a big success for the agency as the entire chain of
people from manufacturers to distributors and conduits of
banned drugs have been caught.
When contacted, DRI ADG (Delhi zone) R K Sharma told PTI
"The investigation in the case is still on. We have arrested
some people."
The agency also conducted searches at manufacturing units
in Himachal Pradesh's Baddi and seized the contraband.
The banned drugs which have been seized during the
operation include Ketamine, Ephiderine, Amphtamine,
Asprazolam, Carisoma and Coringa and their value is estimated
at around Rs 20 crore.
The drugs used to be couriered in milk bags, glucose
sachets and tea bags, according to sources.
The others arrested have been identified as Neelesh
Shukla, Pankaj Kumar Shukla, Mohit Bhatnagar, Om Prakash,
Virender Singh, Kuldeep, Akshay Kumar, Arvind Kumar Arya,
Vishnu Upadhyaya.
The DRI also seized Rs 14 lakh cash, USD 15000 and 780 UK
Pounds from the residence of Shukla during a search on his
premises on October 23 in Mumbai.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, October 26, 2011, 00:08