22 October,2023 06:21 PM IST | Ahmedabad | mid-day online correspondent
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A joint operation conducted by the Ahmedabad police and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has resulted in the seizure of narcotics valued at Rs 150 crore, with the arrest of three individuals during the operation in neighbouring Maharashtra, as per an official statement on Sunday.
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch and DRI, in their collaborative effort, discovered cocaine, mephedrone (MD), and ketamine in two factories and several residences in Aurangabad district, Maharashtra, disclosed Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) (Crime), Ahmedabad, Chaitanya Mandlik.
He stated, "The DRI units in Pune and Ahmedabad Crime Branch jointly executed the operation in Aurangabad, wherein we dismantled two factories and several residences, recovering drugs valued at Rs 150 crore. The estimated worth of the confiscated contraband is three to four times higher in international markets."
This drug network was disrupted based on intelligence information provided to the Crime Branch, Mandlik added. Three individuals have been apprehended, and the DRI has initiated a case.
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Cocaine is a potent central nervous system stimulant, while MD and ketamine are categorized as party drugs, and all three substances are prohibited under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Last week, the Mumbai unit of the DRI busted a gold smuggling syndicate operating from the city. Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers conducted raids at two locations in Mumbai's Zaveri Bazaar on the 13th and 14th of October, exposing the activities of an active gold smuggling network.
During the initial search, a substantial discovery was made. DRI agents confiscated a 1 kg gold bar with foreign markings, which lacked evidence of legal procurement. Subsequently, a more comprehensive search revealed an additional 7.022 kg of foreign-origin gold. Alongside this, they seized Rs 1.22 crore in Indian currency believed to be the proceeds from the illegal sale of gold, officials reported.
As the investigation progressed, four more locations associated with the syndicate were investigated, ultimately leading to the dismantling of an operational gold melting facility. In total, the DRI seized a staggering 8.022 kg of smuggled gold of foreign origin, valued at over Rs 4.78 crore. They also recovered Indian currency amounting to over Rs 1.22 crore, identified as the sale proceeds of the smuggled gold, officials added.
A crucial development in the case occurred with the apprehension of the syndicate's manager, a key figure within the operation. The individual, found in possession of smuggled foreign-origin gold, has been placed under arrest and subsequently remanded to judicial custody.
