Latest news with #NarcoticControlBureau
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
NCB takes custody of deported drug kingpin in Rs 35 lakh cocaine smuggling case
Mumbai: The Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) has taken custody of deported drug kingpin Navin Chichkar in connection with the seizure of 200gm of cocaine worth Rs 35 lakh, which was to be sent to Australia through courier services. The NCB got Chichkar deported last month from Malaysia after his name figured in a couple of narcotics cases busted by the NCB and Navi Mumbai police. An NCB official said that they took Chichkar's custody from Taloja jail. The case pertains to the seizure of 200gm of cocaine allegedly sent by Jayakrishna Gopakumar. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai The contraband was smuggled in, hidden in a projector, and was to be sent to Australia through a courier. The agency arrested Gopakumar who, during the course of interrogation, reportedly revealed that he was the sender of the cocaine concealed in a courier parcel on the directions of Navin Chichkar. Following this, the NCB further seized 11.5kg of cocaie, 4.9kg of cannabis, and 5.5kg of cannabis gummies from the house of one of the members of the syndicate in Navi Mumbai. The investigation disclosed a well-oiled transnational syndicate involved in the trafficking of cocaine from the US to India and its further distribution within India and outside. The investigation further revealed the involvement of a clearing house agent (CHA) and hawala operators. In April, Chichkar's builder father, Guru, died by suicide by shooting himself with his licensed weapon in Navi Mumbai, leaving a suicide note blaming the NCB and Belapur police for harassment.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
South African national sentenced to 15 years for bringing 4kg heroin into India
Mumbai: Refuting the defence that he unknowingly carried the drugs after an agent sent him for football team trials in India, a special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) court convicted and sentenced a 34-year-old South African national to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment for importing nearly four kilograms of heroin into India in 2022. The case, which centred on a carefully planned operation by the Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) following a tip-off, also resulted in a fine of Rs 1.50 lakh for the accused, Mapoma Lemao. The judge refuted the defence advocate's arguments that the contraband was subsequently planted, as it remained untraced even after Lemao went through mandatory checks at three airports: Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, and Mumbai. Special Judge PP Jadhav reasoned, "It has revealed that the contraband was concealed by creating a false cavity (of the bag) covered with plastic and cotton cloth. The contraband has missed in the strict checking on all three airports. This is not the first and last instance wherein the contraband is not traced in the mandatory checking." Lemao was found guilty of various offences under the NDPS Act for conspiring, importing, and possessing 3.980 kgs of heroin. A co-accused, Mwanyuki Musa, a Tanzanian national, was acquitted. The judge said that, as pointed out by Musa's advocate, Dilip Mishra, except for Lemao's statement and that of an intelligence officer involved in the operations, there was no independent evidence to show his involvement. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Take a Look - How Watching Videos Can Boost Your Income TheDaddest Undo "Certainly, the mere statement of a co-accused cannot be the base to prove the guilt of the accused," the judge said. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai The prosecution's case detailed a raid initiated by the NCB, Mumbai Zonal Unit, following a specific intelligence note received on April 11, 2022, that Lemao would arrive the following morning at the city's international airport. The note said that he would either be carrying drugs in his bag or on himself. Lemao was apprehended, and a search was conducted. The heroin was recovered from a cavity in his bag, and he was arrested. During his statement, Lemao claimed he was promised a football trial in India by an agent named Faris. He stated that Faris handled his travel arrangements and asked him to carry the drugs, instructing him to deliver the consignment to a woman named Lyidi Jina at a hotel near the airport. Lemao also implicated his co-accused, Musa, stating that Faris had provided his details as a backup contact. Musa was subsequently intercepted by another NCB team on April 13, 2022, in Navi Mumbai. In his statement, which could not be proved in court, Musa allegedly claimed he was instructed by his business partner, a Tanzanian national named Zohoro, to receive a drug consignment from a South African traveller and send it to a woman in Delhi. Zohoro had provided him with a photo identity of Lemao. Despite the prosecution's claims against both men, the judge found Musa not guilty, leading to his acquittal.
Indian Express
07-07-2025
- Indian Express
Mechanical engineer from a well-to-do family, how Kerala resident Edison became a kingpin selling LSD on dark web
For most people, Mulayamkottil Edison appeared to live a perfectly ordinary life. A 35-year-old mechanical engineer from a family that was generationally wealthy in the busy Muvattupuzha town in Kerala's Ernakulam, Edison spent most of his time at home, coming out only a few minutes each day to take his toddler son to daycare about 500 metres away. That perception changed on June 29, when a team of sleuths from the Narcotic Control Bureau descended on his house to arrest him for allegedly being a level-four darknet vendor, with a wide distribution network across the country. To the town and the neighbourhood, the revelations – a far cry from the 'silent and soft-spoken man' they saw him as – came as a massive shock. 'There was nothing suspicious in his behaviour. For us, he has been an engineer who worked in Germany and later in Bengaluru before returning to his hometown a few years ago,' a neighbour told The Indian Express. At the time of his arrest, Edison — who functioned under the code name 'Ketamelon' — was allegedly caught in possession of LSD blotters – blotter paper infused with the hallucinogenic lysergic acid diethylamide , or LSD — ketamine and cryptocurrency estimated to cost Rs 1 crore. The arrest allegedly came after four months of police surveillance, and exposed a significant drug syndicate operating on the darknet — a part of the internet on encrypted networks that isn't accessible through standard search engines or web browsers. A graduate of the Viswajyothi Engineering College, Vazhakulam, Edison's was from a 'well-settled' family in Muvattupuzha – while his father retired from the state electricity board, his brother is a doctor, those who know the family told The Indian Express. According to sources in the NCB, Edison's journey to becoming a 'level-four darknet vendor' – a grading that one official said depended upon the potency of the drugs sold and 'the customer service' offered — began two years ago. A 'brilliant engineer with deep understanding of the darknet', Edison had first forayed into the murky world of synthetic drugs 10 years ago in search of some substance for his personal use, the sources said. That allegedly metamorphosed into trafficking, getting him the nickname Ketamelon – the name he also used on the dark web – due to his trafficking of ketamine in the early years. Then two years ago, he ventured into sourcing the LSD blotter from the UK-based vendor, Gunga Din, which would in turn reship these from Dr Seuss or Tribe Seuss, reckoned as the largest source of these blotter. According to sources, his associate and classmate Arun Thomas – also arrested with him – would help him. He would allegedly collect parcels reaching the foreign post office in Kochi, and eventually hand it over to Edison, who is then believed to be selling them to their wide distribution network in India – from cities such as Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune, and Chennai to regions of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. 'It is very difficult to detect the LSD blotter, which would be concealed among other items, during x-ray checking. With specific input only we can detect the drug,' one customs official said. At the time of his arrest, he was allegedly among the few dark web drug vendors from India — and the only level-four one in the country. 'In 2023, the NCB had busted the biggest darknet-based LSD cartel named Zambada. It was operating from Delhi, and two kingpins were arrested from Delhi and Jaipur. After this, a third top vendor we identified stopped his business, and that left a vacuum in the darknet. Seeing this as an opportunity, Edison started his business. It was easy for him to source LSD blotter from the UK as he had been already familiar with the sources and modus operandi,' the investigator said. Five years ago, Edison left his well-paying job in Bengaluru, and started a restaurant in Aluva, Ernakulam, with collegemate Deol K Varghese. The restaurant closed down during the pandemic. Deol was eventually arrested on charges of smuggling out Ketamine to Australia, although sources said he did not operate on the dark web. At the time of his arrest, Deol was running a resort in Idukki with his wife. According to NCB sources, Edison's family was in the dark about his dealings. 'Nobody in his family – not even his wife — knew about his dealings,' the investigator said. 'All financial dealings were through cryptocurrency, mainly Monero. He has multiple crypto wallets.' A privacy crypto launched in 2014, Monero has been increasingly gaining notoriety for its use in illicit activities such as money laundering and darknet markets. Sources, however, said Thomas, another Muvattupuzha native, 'had only a limited role in the business' but refused to elaborate. On Saturday, the NCB moved applications at the principal district and sessions court for the custody of Edison, Arun and Deol. The applications will be considered Monday. For the local community, the NCB's alleged findings that Edison was a major synthetic drug dealer came as a massive shock. 'He was very silent and interacted with only a few people in the region. Very rarely he was seen outside,' municipal councillor Jinu Antony said. 'We came to know of his arrest on July 1'. A neighbour said: 'After Edison's arrest, his family moved out from Muvattupuzha'.
The Hindu
03-07-2025
- The Hindu
Supreme Court halves cost imposed on Narcotics Control Bureau by Calcutta High Court
The Supreme Court on Thursday (July 3, 2025) refused to intervene with an order directing the Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) to pay ₹1 lakh cost in a case, but reduced it to ₹50,000. A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and K. Vinod Chandran passed the order on Centre's plea challenging the Calcutta High Court's June 16, 2024 order. The high court imposed the cost on the NCB over the delay in appealing against an acquittal in a case. The amount was directed to be paid to West Bengal State Legal Services Authority, Kolkata, within a week. The NCB was directed to recover the cost from its personnel involved in the process of drafting and filing the government appeal. The apex court, however, ordered the cost to be deposited by the government and not the officers. "One thing is clear. There must be either the fault of your lawyer or your officer. It has to be either one of them," the bench told the Centre's counsel. The top court continued, "We are not inclined to interfere with the impugned judgement. However, the compliance is to be made not by the officer in view of the specific statement made by the Additional Solicitor General (Centre's counsel) but by the petitioner." The law officer pointed out that in several cases, appeals were filed with delay and it was "disturbing". He said some observations from the apex court on the issue would be helpful. "Please understand your position as a lawyer. If they don't come to you, you should know what to do. You don't ask the Supreme Court to issue directions to validate your orders," the bench observed. The NCB's appeal was against the acquittal verdict of a special NDPS court in Barasat. The high court order observed that the NCB was required to apply for a leave to appeal under Section 378(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. "Narcotic Control Bureau did not do so. Narcotic Control Bureau proceeded to file a government appeal without applying for and obtaining an order under Section 378(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure corresponding to Section 419(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023," it said. The high court said it had pointed it out on May 19 and then in June with the NCB counsel being told that appropriate leave under the provisions was not obtained to file a government appeal. On June 16, however, the NCB's counsel sought to withdraw the appeal along with connected applications. "In view of the conduct of Narcotic Control Bureau, as noted above, granting unconditional leave to withdraw, as prayed for, will not suffice interest of justice. Narcotic Control Bureau must be put on terms," the high court said as it saddled the NCB with ₹1 lakh.
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Business Standard
03-07-2025
- Business Standard
SC reduces cost imposed on Narcotics Control Bureau by Calcutta HC to ₹50K
The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to intervene with an order directing the Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) to pay ₹1 lakh cost in a case, but reduced it to ₹50,000. A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and K Vinod Chandran passed the order on Centre's plea challenging the Calcutta High Court's June 16, 2024 order. The high court imposed the cost on the NCB over the delay in appealing against an acquittal in a case. The amount was directed to be paid to West Bengal State Legal Services Authority, Kolkata, within a week. The NCB was directed to recover the cost from its personnel involved in the process of drafting and filing the government appeal. The apex court, however, ordered the cost to be deposited by the government and not the officers. "One thing is clear. There must be either the fault of your lawyer or your officer. It has to be either one of them," the bench told the Centre's counsel. The top court continued, "We are not inclined to interfere with the impugned judgement. However, the compliance is to be made not by the officer in view of the specific statement made by the Additional Solicitor General (Centre's counsel) but by the petitioner." The law officer pointed out that in several cases, appeals were filed with delay and it was "disturbing". He said some observations from the apex court on the issue would be helpful. "Please understand your position as a lawyer. If they don't come to you, you should know what to do. You don't ask the Supreme Court to issue directions to validate your orders," the bench observed. The NCB's appeal was against the acquittal verdict of a special NDPS court in Barasat. The high court order observed that the NCB was required to apply for a leave to appeal under Section 378(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. "Narcotic Control Bureau did not do so. Narcotic Control Bureau proceeded to file a government appeal without applying for and obtaining an order under Section 378(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure corresponding to Section 419(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023," it said. The high court said it had pointed it out on May 19 and then in June with the NCB counsel being told that appropriate leave under the provisions was not obtained to file a government appeal. On June 16, however, the NCB's counsel sought to withdraw the appeal along with connected applications. "In view of the conduct of Narcotic Control Bureau, as noted above, granting unconditional leave to withdraw, as prayed for, will not suffice interest of justice. Narcotic Control Bureau must be put on terms," the high court said as it saddled the NCB with ₹1 lakh.
