Over 32,000 tablets, 170 kg cough syrup: Drug racket busted in Maharashtra

The Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) Mumbai wing has busted an interstate drug syndicate operating in Maharastra and seized over 160 kg of cough syrup and more than 32,000 tablets of banned narcotic drugs.

At least one person was arrested by the NCB sleuths in the operation.

According to a statement issued by the NCB, the operation was launched based on intelligence input which initially led to the seizure of 12,400 Alprazolam and 169.7 kg of Codeine syrup from a storage location in Panvel.

During the follow-up searches, the NCB officials also seized an additional 9,600 Alprazolam and 10,380 Nitrazepam tablets from a house in Thane's Mumbra.

The NCB officials suspect that the narcotic drugs were illicitly sourced from other states through inland parcels.

The NCB received a tip-off that a Thane-based syndicate was allegedly involved in the procurement of illicitly diverted pharmaceutical drugs and further distributing the consignment in Mumbai and nearby areas.

Subsequently, intelligence networks were alerted to collect more details about the syndicate and a courier line was identified that was being misused for the transportation of narcotic drugs.

On Saturday, May 4, the NCB learnt that a person identified as TM Shafi was tasked with collecting the drug consignment. He was intercepted and during his search, the drugs were recovered.

Following the operation, all the illicitly procured contraband and the vehicles used by Shafi were seized by the NCB officials. During questioning, the NCB sleuths also recovered incriminating data which is presently under investigation.

Further investigation in the case is underway.