Cocaine & heroin most sought after drugs in the city: DRI statistics

Cocaine and Heroin have emerged as the most expensive drugs in demand for consumption in the city, as revealed by the recent actions of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).

In the last one and half month, the agency has detected eight cases of Cocaine and Heroin being smuggled into the city. The contraband valued at several crores of rupees in the illicit market has been mostly brought in the city through courier services or through carriers. “These series of seizures by DRI also show the high demand for these dangerous expensive narcotic drugs in Mumbai,” a DRI officer said. “The various innovative concealments used by the drug cartels are indicative of their desperation to smuggle high value narcotics substances like Cocaine and Heroin into Mumbai,” the officer added.

Across the country, DRI has detected 412 cases of smuggling resulting in seizure of contraband worth Rs 1,949 crore, the latest statistics for the financial year 2019-20 has revealed. The highest seizure was with the arrest of male national of the Republic of Guinea in possession of cocaine worth Rs 18 crore at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in November last year.

DRI investigations revealed that carriers are flying to the city through African locations. The contraband is mostly concealed in false cavities created in luggage. In another method, drugs are packaged in small pouches and concealed in other products. These products are shipped to the country through courier services.

Cocaine is mainly produced in Latin American countries. It causes a short-lived, intense high and immediately followed by the opposite—intense depression and craving for more drugs. It increases heart rate, muscle spasms and convulsions. The drug can also make people feel paranoid, angry, hostile and anxious. Heroin is a narcotic drug classified as depressant, which can be significantly harmful to the human body even in extremely small quantities.

Its possession sale, inter and intra state transport is banned under NDPS Act. Violation of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 for is punishable upto 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and fine of Rs 2 lakh and in certain cases it is up to death. DRI stated that it has been at the forefront in international Customs collaborations and has Customs Mutual Assistance Agreements with over 60 countries, where thrust is on information exchange and learning from the best practices between customs administrations.