Kolkata: DRI busts drug trafficking racket, arrests 10 accused with Rs 26 crore narcotics

New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) Busting a major drug trafficking racket in Kolkata, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized narcotics worth around Rs 26 crore and arrested 10 people, including the mastermind of the ring, an official said on Saturday. 

Collectively, 32.466 kgs of Cannabis (Ganja), 22.027 kgs of Hydroponic weed, 345 grams of cocaine, along with cash, have been seized, said the official.

In the early hours of Friday, the officers of DRI conducted searches simultaneously at three different locations – one at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) airport, Kolkata, and two residential premises in Bijoygarh locality of Jadavpur, the official said in a statement.

In the residential location, belonging to the mastermind, hydroponic weed, cannabis and cocaine of substantial quantity were found.

In the second residential location, which was rented and operated by the mastermind, a huge quantity of cannabis was found in a ‘packed and ready-to-distribute’ manner, it said.

Four associates of the mastermind, who were employed for the purpose of sale and local distribution of such narcotics in Kolkata, were apprehended at this location.

The officials also seized cash in the locations, which was the proceeds of the sale of narcotic substances.

On the same day, another member of the syndicate, who is involved in arranging suppliers abroad, was also apprehended.

Simultaneously, in a different operation conducted at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport in Dumdum, four carriers (including three women) belonging to the said syndicate, arriving from Bangkok, were intercepted. From their possession as well, a substantial quantity of narcotic substances was recovered.

Apart from cash, 32.466 kgs of cannabis (Ganja), 22.027 kgs of hydroponic weed, and 345 grams of cocaine were seized.

Ten individuals (all Indian nationals), including the mastermind, carriers coming from abroad, retail distributors and middlemen, were arrested and produced before the courts for judicial remand.

All seizures and arrests were made under the relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

--IANS

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