Tamil film producer mastermind of ₹2,000 cr drug racket: NCB

An international drugs trafficking network has been busted with the arrest of three people and seizure of 50 kg narcotics-making chemical that was being sent to Australia and New Zealand by concealing it in mix food powder and desiccated coconut, the NCB said Saturday.

A joint team of the federal anti-narcotics agency and the special cell of Delhi Police busted the network acting on an information provided by Australian and New Zealand authorities about four months back saying "large quantities" of pseudoephedrine concealed in desiccated coconut powder was being sent to both the countries from India, Narcotics Control Bureau Deputy Director General (DDG) Gyaneshwar Singh said in a statement.

An additional input from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) indicated that the source of these consignments was Delhi, he said.

The NCB and special cell officials joined the dots and raided a godown located in Basai Darapur area of West Delhi on February 15 leading to the seizure of 50 kg of pseudoephedrine that was being concealed in a consignment of multi-grain food mix, and apprehension of three people hailing from Tamil Nadu, Singh said.

"The mastermind of the nexus has been identified as a Tamil film producer, who is on the run. Efforts are being made to nab him so that the source of pseudoephedrine can be ascertained," the DDG said.

Pseudoephedrine is a precursor chemical and is used to make methamphetamine which is a prominent drug in demand worldwide and sells for about Rs 1.5 crore per kg in Australia and New Zealand, according to the NCB.

The three arrested people told the NCB that a total of 45 pseudoephedrine consignments were sent by them over the last three years. These contained about 3,500 kg of pseudoephedrine valued at more than Rs 2,000 crore in international market, the DDG said.

Pseudoephedrine is a highly addictive synthetic drug and even though it has some legal use, it is classified as a controlled substance in India, bringing strict regulation on its production, possession, trade, export and use.

Illegal possession and trade of pseudoephedrine is punishable up to 10 years of imprisonment under the NDPS Act.

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