PANJIM: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials busted an international drug smuggling racket by arresting three persons including the mastermind - a Nigerian national in Delhi and a woman in Goa, which led to the seizure of around 5.2-kg of narcotics suspected to be heroin worth over Rs 36 crore.
The officials stated that the first arrest in the case was made at the Delhi airport on Saturday. As per information, DRI Headquarters and DRI Bengaluru received specific information about the international drug smuggling racket on July 29. Based on the intelligence inputs, the DRI officials intercepted an Indian national at Delhi airport after he arrived from Malawi via Addis Ababa on Saturday. During checking, the officials recovered narcotics suspected to be heroin weighing around 5.2-kg concealed in two different packages in one of the passenger’s trolley bags.
Upon inquiry, he revealed that he was to further fly to Goa to deliver the consignment to a woman. In his instance, a trap was laid at a hotel in Goa, where an Indian woman, who had come to receive the consignment, was intercepted. The woman had flown from Hyderabad to Goa in the morning to take the delivery of the contraband.
The accused woman disclosed that she was to further fly to Delhi to deliver the contraband. The DRI officials later reached Delhi and arrested the Nigerian mastermind.
As per DRI officials, all three accused have been placed under arrest and the narcotics have been seized. Further legal action in the matter is being taken, they said.
It may be recalled that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday had claimed that his government has zero tolerance against drugs in the State even as Goa, being an iconic tourist destination, is prone to use of recreational drugs by tourists like any other tourist destination.
He was replying to a starred question tabled by Sant Andre MLA Viresh Borkar regarding drug-related cases, Sawant said that the Goa Police are alive to such possibility and many drug cases have been booked in villages. However, no drug case has been booked or come to notice in any school or college across the State.