Mumbai: NCB seize Rs 4 crore worth ganja, 4 held

The seized ganja. Pic/ NCB Mumbai

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Mumbai busted an interstate drug trafficking network and seized a huge consignment of 190 kg of high quality ganja valuing Rs 4 crore which was being transported into Mumbai and adjoining areas. The NCB have also nabbed four alleged drug traffickers and two vehicles that were being used for the transportation of the ganja were also seized, the NCB said.

According to the NCB, The seizure was made on the intervening night of July 26 and July 27. The high quality ganja was being transported into Mumbai and adjoining areas. The arrested four accused are residents of Mumbai and allegedly supply ganja and other drugs in various parts of Mumbai especially Mulund and Bhandup. Initial investigations have revealed that they were active in the business for the last five years.

NCB said, recently an input was received through credible sources that a ganja based syndicate was sketching an arrangement to pull off a delivery of huge consignment sourced from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha area. The intelligence network was accordingly activated for gathering assertive data on the said input and after diligent effort by the officers and informers, certain data was analysed which were further processed to obtain the specific details about the persons tasked to deliver the consignment, vehicular detail and possible routes to be taken.

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Thereafter, due to certain weather and premeditated conditions, the said transportation was scheduled to be carried out within a short notice. Accordingly, the field operational team of NCB-Mumbai set out towards the routes thus analysed and maintained discreet cordon and waited for further instruction about movement of the traffickers. In due time, the traffickers were physically tracked and identified to be moving towards Arjunali toll plaza, Padgha in Bhiwandi, Thane. The team immediately set up a tactful barrier with a secured perimeter around the toll plaza. A short while after, the traffickers arrived in a convoy line up and got entrapped into the cordon. Later, a search of the vehicles were conducted which resulted in recovery of 190 kg of ganja which were concealed among other non-suspecting goods in a cavity. The persons were apprehended and the contraband along with vehicles was seized in accordance with the legal procedures, the NCB added.

An official said, "During interrogations, the accused confessed about their involvement in drug trafficking in the past also. They are seasoned traffickers and have been in the illicit drug trafficking business for around five years. They have been in the radar of the agency and were eluding due to manoeuvres like frequent mobile phone change and also ensured not to use a vehicle more than once for such consignment delivery. The said contraband was destined for delivery to Mumbai and adjoining areas based on multiple local peddlers."