NCB busts drug syndicate in K'taka, seizes 9 kg meth; three foreign nationals held

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Tuesday claimed to have busted a drug syndicate with the arrest of three foreign nationals here and seizure of nine kg of high-grade Methamphetamine from them.

The action was taken based on intelligence inputs about drug traffickers from African nations allegedly transporting drugs via bus and air from Delhi, they said.

This led to the identification of two networks and resulted in the interception and arrest of three foreign nationals along with the seizure of seven kg and two kg of high-grade Methamphetamine at the Bengaluru bus stand and Kempegowda International Airport, respectively, within a span of three days, the NCB said in a statement.

In the first operation, seven kg of Methamphetamine was seized. It was sourced from Delhi and transported by a female from an African country via bus through Mumbai to Bengaluru.

She travelled with a child to avoid suspicion. In a swift follow-up action, another female from an African country, who had arranged the contraband, was also apprehended.

In the second operation, the NCB said two kg of Methamphetamine was seized. The contraband was sourced from Delhi, packed at a location in West Delhi, and concealed in the luggage of a person from an African country who transported it to Bengaluru via a domestic flight.

“Investigations revealed that the individual had entered India on a student or tourist visa but failed to return upon its expiry. Instead, she assumed a new identity by procuring a forged passport under a different nationality to evade detection and tracking by enforcement agencies. Further, investigation in both the cases is underway,” it added.