The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials on Saturday arrested a man from Andheri with alleged possession of Zolpidem tablets. Last week, the NCB had seized a consignment containing over two kilograms of Zolpidem, which was destined to Texas, United States of America. The tablets were concealed in eatables and grocery items.
The arrested person has been identified as Uttam Param Thevarpakkal, a resident of Santacruz.
According to the NCB sources, on receipt of specific information, Theverpakkal was apprehended from MIDC area on Saturday. The agency has allegedly seized Zolpidem tablets. The agency sources claimed that Theverpakkal is suspected to be part of the cartel that was instrumental in attempting to ship a Zolpidem consignment to Texas.
"We would be probing from where Theverpakkal used to procure the Zolpidem, how he used to get connected with the receiver of the contraband and who were his receivers," said an NCB official.
The NCB officials had carried out six different operations from December 10 to December 15 at various places of Mumbai and had seized a total 2.296 kilograms of Amphetamine, 3.906 kilograms of Opium and 2.525 kilograms of Zolpidem tablets and 53.5 grams of black coloured sticky substance purported to be cannabis concealed in clothing items (two Jeans) destined to Kuwait.
The total value of contraband seized in these operations as per the NCB was Rs 13 crore. The agency sources said that the contraband seized from all the operations were destined to be smuggled to foreign countries such as Maldives, Australia, Texas in USA, Dubai, New Zealand and Switzerland, through air courier in Andheri. The agency had also intercepted one Ivorian national, in one of the operations.
