2 members of Kasargod drug syndicate arrested in Bengaluru
BENGALURU:
Acting on a tip-off, officials of the NCB, Bengaluru seized 1.2 kg of hashish bound for Doha (Qatar) on June 4. The contraband was concealed in 13 backpacks. On June 6, two persons, R Khan and S Hussain, were apprehended and 2.6 kg of hashish concealed in 195 small pouches, also meant to be trafficked to Doha, was seized.
A preliminary investigation has revealed that the syndicate is based in Kasargod (Kerala) and is involved in trafficking of hashish from India to Qatar. The syndicate members arrested in 2019 and 2020 were illegally exporting other drugs such as hashish oil, methamphetamine and ganja.
Covid had hit drug cartel
The latest seizure is an indication that the syndicate was lying low for over a year and a half owing to restrictions in international flights, and have again commenced their operations. Travel restrictions to Qatar have created a dip in trafficking of drugs to that country, and the Kasargod syndicate is trying to traffic drugs using other modes like couriers and parcels. This syndicate also traffics hashish and other drugs to the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
Credit for the seizures goes to Amit Ghawate, IRS (Zonal Director, NCB, Bengaluru), Venugopal Kurup, AD, and other officers of NCB, Bengaluru.
