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The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of Chennai conducted a joint operation with the Air Intelligence Unit, Chennai Customs, resulting in the seizure of 5.618 kg of Cocaine at Chennai international airport.
Two Indian nationals, one a resident of Bageshwar, Uttarakhand (a 25-year-old B.A. graduate) and the other from Chamba, Himachal Pradesh (a 26-year-old ITI pass), were apprehended during this operation while carrying the contraband, which had been brought on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to Chennai in their baggage. The street value of the seized contraband, which is high-grade cocaine, is estimated to be atleast Rs 60 crore in India. Cocaine is sold in retail in one-gram sachets, and one-gram sachets cost anywhere between Rs. 8,000 and Rs. 12,000, depending on the level of adulteration in the cocaine. It was ascertained that these persons had made multiple trips from Addis Ababa to various airports in India for trafficking cocaine in the past few years. Preliminary investigations also revealed that the apprehended individuals are part of a larger transnational drug syndicate involved in the trafficking of cocaine from Ethiopia to India for further distribution in other parts of India, from Delhi, where a Nigerian national handles the distribution network. Acting swiftly on these revelations, NCB detained the Nigerian national in Delhi, who had been in India since 2023 on a Medical visa but was overstaying since 2024, even after the expiry of his visa and also an Indian member (resident of Chamba District, a 26-year-old Graduate) of the syndicate from Mumbai. Even though the Nigerian national had come to India on a medical visa for self-treatment at Gleneagles HealthCity, Perumbakkam, Chennai, and was overstaying, he was involved in drug trafficking and setting up a distribution channel of cocaine from Delhi. Investigation further disclosed the involvement of a person of Indian origin in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, who arranges the supply of cocaine and the distribution of the profits among the syndicate members. Considering the involvement of foreigners, especially African nationals, in drug trafficking activities in India, NCB collected the list of overstaying foreigners and shared the data with the states for appropriate action against the overstaying individuals under the Foreigners Act. Further investigations are underway to identify and apprehend all other members of this syndicate and to ascertain the financial trail. (ANI)
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