Huge haul of narcotics in Banaskantha

Huge haul of narcotics in Banaskantha
JOYDEEP RAY

Ahmedabad, July 31: Narcotics worth Rs 11.5 crores in international market was recovered by the sleuths of the Narcotics Control Bureau in Banaskantha district on Sunday evening.

Fourteen kilograms of pure white heroin with another eleven kilograms of brown sugar was recovered by the NCB officials which could be considered as one of the major narcotics hauls in the State in last few years.

Following the operation, NCB Director-General, H P Kumar would be coming here on Tuesday from its New Delhi headquarters. Some other senior officials of the NCB are also expected to be in the city on Tuesday.

This recovery comes on the close heels of recovering 10.042 kilograms of brown sugar from outskirts of Deesha town in Banaskantha district on Wednesday by the NCB officials.

The seizure which was made from a truck coming from Rajasthan was intercepted by the agency officials near Deesha and two culprits, Nawab Khan alias Akbar and Bavar Khan were arrested by the agency. Both the accused were later identified as residents of Shiv taluka in Rajasthan while they were heading the consignment to Babu Khan alias Ismail in Deesha on Wednesday. Later, Babu was also picked up by the NCB officials for his involvement as local agent, sources in the NCB told The Indian Express on Monday.

While interrogating the culprits on Saturday, the officials of the NCB came to know that more packets of narcotics have been hidden in a secret compartment in the same truck which had been intercepted on Wednesday. On Sunday evening, after a long search the agency officials were able to detect the secret compartment and recovered several plastic packets containing heroin and brown sugar.

While the tight-lipped officials of the NCB denied to comment on the entire operation on Monday, well-placed sources told The Indian Express

on Monday, ``involvement of some Border Security Force personnel also have been detected in the racket as a constable of the BSF, Ansar Ahmed was also arrested few days back by the NCB and the agency also zeroing in on some other suspected personnel of the BSF.''

Joint Commissioner (Crime), S K Saikia said on Monday, ``This consignment intercepted by the NCB officials was meant for Mumbai from where it was supposed to be diverted to other parts of the country.'' ``Mainly, this quality of heroin and brown sugar comes from the areas under Golden Crescent, mostly from Afganisthan and it takes a route through Rajasthan and Gujarat as it seems to be economic for the dealers,'' Saikia added.