Pramesh Jain
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has seized over 300 kg of ganja destined to Kerala from Andhra Pradesh via Tamil Nadu and arrested two persons,a senior official of the NCB here said on Monday.
The seizure of 327.87 kg of ganja (cannabis) was made in Uttukottai,Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu, on Saturday.
The cannabis was hidden in a special cavity created in a goods transport vehicle and its driver Dubash Shanker arrested,a press release from the office of Amit Ghawate,Zonal Director of the NCB,said.
The narcotic was sourced from Annavaram (Andhra Pradesh) and was destined to Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), it said. Follow-up action by NCB in Kochi,Kerala,led to the arrest of Sreenath M at Kaliakavila on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border.
He was receiver of the ganja consignment.He belongs to Thiruvananthapuram and was engaged in drug-peddling at Vizhinjam for the past four years, the release said.
Meanwhile, a Nigerian national was arrested in a separate incident at the Coimbatore Railway Station and was found having 2.235 kg of white crystals believed to be amphetamine.worth around Rs.90 lakh, while he was travelling in Kerala Express from Delhi to Kerala on Sunday.
On specific inputs a team of NCB Madurai unit intercepted Nigerian national,namely Egwin Kingsely, at Platform number 1, Coimbatore railway station and seized the consignment of white crystals of Amphetamine.
The seized Amphetamine has been procured from Delhi.The contraband was found to be concealed in 8 small packets,wrapped with carbon paper and further concealed in his luggage.
This Nigerian national is the kingpin of this syndicate and involved in drug trade for 3 years. NCB was tailing him for long time, the press release said.
The involvement of African nationals,especially Nigerians is an increasing trend in the trafficking of narcotic drugs and synthetic drugs.
Coimbatore,Salem,Erode,Tirupur have been hubs for African nationals.Tirupur being a textile hub is frequented by African nationals,who under the guise of textile business,have been involving in nefarious activities of drug trafficking,NCB said.
Amphetamine is made from Ephedrine/Pseudoephedrine, a controlled substance under NDPS Act.It can be manufactured in illegal laboratories which can be established in small premises. It affects the Central Nervous System and increasingly used as rave party drug, NCB said in its press release.
Finally,NCB acknowledges the dedicated efforts of Amit Ghawate,(Zonal Director,Bangalore),M Suresh Kumar- Superintendent and other officers associated to this case at NCB,Chennai Zonal Unit.
