In a fourth major drug bust as part of a continuous crackdown on narcotics, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence busted an inter-continental racket of drug smuggling in a well-planned operation codenamed 'Kruger', wherein 396 grams of heroin was seized and three people were arrested, including two Nigerian nationals. The contraband was ingeniously concealed in buttons sewn onto women’s gowns sent in a courier consignment from South Africa to Mumbai.
Acting on a tip-off, DRI Mumbai intercepted a parcel arrived from South Africa through an international courier company. During the examination of the parcel, DRI officials noticed an abnormally large number of buttons sewn on to each gown, of which further examination revealed that heroin ingeniously hidden inside the buttons of the gowns, wherein 396 grams of Heroin was seized.
After the seizure, authorisation for controlled delivery was obtained from DG NCB and on Thursday afternoon, the recipient of the courier parcel paid the applicable Customs duty and controlled delivery was attempted. A team of DRI officers went along with the vehicle of the courier company and apprehended the Indian citizen who came to take delivery of the parcel. During the probe, a Nigerian national who was to receive the consignment from the Indian person was identified and nabbed.
A sustained interrogation revealed that another Nigerian person, who is a key member of the syndicate, was traced and nabbed from Taloja, on Friday. Subsequently, he was arrested for his alleged role in carrying out the drug smuggling activities. Police arrested these three persons and booked them under relevant sections of the NDPS Act, following which they were produced in the Sessions Court and remanded to judicial custody.
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