Mumbai, May 8: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials on Friday arrested a Zambian national with four kilograms of heroin worth Rs 26 crore. The accused is an ex-Zambian army official. What has baffled the anti-drug agency is that the accused had sourced heroin from Ethiopia, which until now was known for smuggling cocaine. The accused is also suspected to be having links with Afghan drug traffickers, sources said.
According to the NCB sources, on the basis of discreet information, under the supervision of Mumbai NCB Unit Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede, a team of officers comprising VV Singh and Ashish Ranjan seized four kilograms of Heroin (Commercial Quantity) and intercepted one Zambian National - Kenith Mulowa at the international airport in Mumbai on Friday.
"Mulowa had arrived from Ethiopia two days ago and two days later his baggage had arrived at the airport. Since we had concrete information that Mulowa was involved in the smuggling of drugs, surveillance was mounted by the team of NCB near his hotel and airport area for the last two days. The NCB team followed Mulowa from the hotel to the airport and nabbed him red-handed with four kilograms of Heroin," said Wankhede.
Mulowa had visited the airport to take his baggage. "During the search of his bag, three cavities were found. In those cavities, packets of Heroin were found concealed. The total weight of the three packets containing Heroin is four kilograms. During the operation, one NCB officer had dressed up as an airline staffer to keep a close watch on Mulowa," said an official.
The apprehended Zambian national is ex-serviceman of Zambian Army. "It is seen that he had violated Covid protocol at the airport and was moving outside without any restrictions. Also, we are probing his links with Afghan and African drug syndicates," said the official.
