28 arrested, over 2,400 kg narcotic seized in a week by NCB

Twenty-eight people, including six foreigners, have been arrested and over 2,400 kg contraband seized as part of country-wide operations conducted by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) against illicit drug trafficking and narcotics trade, officials said on Friday.

The anti-narcotics central agency also claimed to have busted an international cartel of drug traffickers who were bringing heroin into the national capital from Afghanistan.

Five Afghan and a Nigerian national were arrested as part of this operation that was launched on August 20, they said.

In an another such action, the agency intercepted a truck bearing a Punjab number plate near Dera Bassi in Chandigarh and recovered over 351 kg poppy husk concealed underneath sanitary ware items.

A similar action was conducted near Jaipur in Rajasthan that led to the arrest of two traffickers and seizure of more than 954 kg poppy husk, they said.

NCB officials, in coordination with the Uttar Pradesh Police STF seized 149 kg ganja on August 25 in Mau and arrested four traffickers, including the one who was wanted in a previous drugs crime case, officials said.

In Hyderabad, the agency seized 100 tablets of Zepose (Diazepam) from a courier office and these were concealed in sweet boxes. The destination of the tablets was to the US, they said.

"These arrests and seizures are a result of increased interdiction efforts against drug trafficking by the NCB. Over 1,306 kg poppy straw, 1,120 kg ganja, 1.42 kg heroin, and other drugs have been seized between August 22-30.

"A total of 22 Indian and six foreign drug traffickers have been arrested," a senior official said.

As there is an increase of opiate trafficking originating from Afghanistan to India in the last few months, all agencies have been asked to ensure maximum vigil to check drugs smuggling.

Such seizures and apprehensions are expected to continue in the coming days, he said.