Seized Drugs Worth Rs. 25,000 Crore Arrived From Pakistan Cartel: NCB

According to an NCB representative, this is the "highest quality methamphetamine we have ever encountered on the black market."
Seized Drugs Worth Rs. 25,000 Crore Arrived From Pakistan Cartel: NCB
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NEW DELHI: Following the seizure of 2,525 kg of "high-purity methamphetamine" by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Navy off the coast of Kochi on Saturday, NCB sources revealed on Sunday that the drugs were worth more than initially thought and that the Haji Salim drug cartel from Pakistan was responsible for the shipment.

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive recreational substance with an estimated street value of Rs 12,000 crore, according to the NCB. On Sunday, NCB sources said, “As the seized methamphetamine is of superior grade, we have revised its estimated market value to Rs 25,000 crore. In terms of the market value, this is the biggest drug seizure made by any agency in the country.”

The "most superior quality of methamphetamine we have ever come across in the illegal drug market," according to an NCB official.

“The price of this drug depends upon its grade and quality. It is in high quality pure white crystal form. Hence, we have found that it would have a market value of Rs 25,000 crore,” the official stated.

According to sources, the shipment was intended for distribution to India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and the Seychelles.“We have arrested a 29-year-old Pakistan national, who has been working as part of the Haji Salim drug cartel. He had been part of similar international drug smuggling gangs in the past,” they added.

Even though the Haji Salim cartel's attempts to smuggle drugs have previously been foiled by the NCB, this was the first instance in which an Indian agency has seized a "mothership"—a sizable vessel carrying a significant amount of drugs.

According to NCB authorities, the methamphetamine came from Jiwani, a port city in Pakistan's Balochistan province that is not far from the Iranian border.

“The chemical substance, pseudoephedrine, which is used for making methamphetamine, is easily available in the region. There are local laboratories there engaged in manufacturing methamphetamine. The substance is packed in packets and is loaded into small ferries, which proceed to motherships that are waiting in international waters. These motherships would sail only through international waters,” sources said.

“This particular mothership was also intercepted in international waters, off the coast of Kochi. The drug consignment was set to be handed over to various small vessels operated by drug mafia in India, Sri Lanka and Maldives. We have come to know that the mothership has been at sea at least for the last 45 days.”, they added.

During the operation, according to sources, the mothership was sunk.“but we could retrieve the consignment. The mothership was not in a condition to be towed to the coast. Hence, it was abandoned. The operation is still going on, so we cannot comment on the crew of the mothership. The detained Pakistan national was in a speed boat that was found near the mothership. He is believed to be from Baluchistan province. We have not recovered any weapon from the ship or the speed boat. Apart from the drugs, we have recovered a GPS tracker during the operation.”

The significant amount of methamphetamine that was seized, according to NCB officials, demonstrated the drug's rising demand in the market for drugs.“This substance is fast replacing ganja. Methamphetamine is cheaper than cocaine, so it is also known as poor man’s cocaine. There have been several instances of methamphetamine seizure in south India,’’ sources said.

The raid was a part of Operation Samudragupt, which the NCB had begun in January 2022 with the goal of stopping the maritime trafficking of illegal substances coming from Afghanistan. In the past 1.5 years, the NCB had made three significant maritime trafficking-related seizures, the most recent of which was this one.

The DRI, ATS Gujarat, the Navy's intelligence division, and the National Technical Research Organisation all provided information to the NCB. Approximately 3,200 kg of methamphetamine, 500 kg of heroin, and 529 kilogrammes of hashish have all been found so far in the operations.

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