Traffickers used delivery boys to send 10-50 gm drug parcels to Bengaluru customers
7 accused, including drug kingpin, nabbed; 140 kg of high-grade ganja, Rs 5.20 lakh cash, packing material and 2 vehicles seized
BENGALURU:
Based on a tip-off, officers of NCB-Bengaluru intercepted two persons, both residents of the city, on September 30 while they were taking delivery of eight boxes of contraband from a courier vehicle and loading them into a Maruti. As per a press note by Amit Ghawate, NCB-Bengaluru zonal director, the boxes were found to contain high-grade ganja packed in paper bags and sealed with adhesive tape. Around 137 kg of the drug was seized.
Subsequently, the residences of the accused in Bengaluru were raided and cash of Rs 4.81 lakh, allegedly the proceeds of drug trafficking, and packing materials were seized. One Swiggy delivery boy was also apprehended in this connection. The search of the residential premises of another accused in Bengaluru resulted in the recovery of 3 kg of ganja packed in small packets with specific markings, and cash of Rs 39,000, allegedly the proceeds of drug trafficking.
High-speed chase
Among the four other persons apprehended subsequently, the supplier of drug was nabbed at Hyderabad on Saturday whlle three persons in a Jeep Compass car were arrested near Shivamogga in Karnataka after a high-speed chase on Friday night.
Officers of NCB Bangalore zone busted a major drug syndicate in Bangalore which was delivering drugs to the doorstep through SWIGGY delivery agents. 140kg of high grade Ganja was seized and 7 persons were arrested. 5.2 lakhs & 2 cars were seized from them. pic.twitter.com/I6SW3nTE0f
— NCB Bangalore Zonal Unit (@NCBBangalore) October 2, 2021
The modus operandi of the accused was that they would courier the drug to customers’ doorsteps by providing fictitious addresses of origin. The cartel allegedly used delivery boys of Swiggy for their illegal activities. During the earlier Covid lockdown restrictions, they would send such deliveries under the guise of essential services.
