Drug racket probe points to Bhopal link

INDORE: A month after Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) busted an international drug smuggling racket by arresting two peddlers from New Delhi-Trivandrum Kerala Express train at Itarsi railway station, investigations point to a possibility of Bhopal link.
Investigations by NCB-MP and Chhattisgarh revealed a middle-aged man in Bhopal forming a key part of the racket, having operations from Chennai. The man from Bhopal was in constant touch with two men from Chennai, who were arrested by NCB from long distance train at Itarsi, on February 25.
The man in Bhopal in the past was arrested in NDPS Act related cases, but is out on bail.
He was regularly in constant touch with two men Mohd Farooq, 37 and Mohd Fakruddin Ali, 25, who were arrested with 25 kg banned ephedrine narcotic powder, which was sourced by them from New Delhi-Haryana border near Panipat and was to be delivered to racket’s kingpin, elder brother of Fakruddin, NCB sources confided to TOI on Wednesday.
The 25 kg narcotic powder was to be used as raw chemical at a lab in Chennai for manufacturing 4 kg psychotropic drug methamphetamine. It was to be smuggled into South Asian nations, including Malaysia, by international drug smugglers for around Rs 7 crore. Commonly known as Speed, the product is in high demand at rave parties in pubs, discos and tourist resorts of Malaysia and adjoining countries.
NCB zonal director (MP and Chhattisgarh) BR Meena said till now four persons, including two drug peddlers from Chennai and mother, daughter from New Delhi, have been arrested in connection with international racket. The two women, hailing from Manipur, but living in a rented house in New Delhi’s New Friends Colony have been identified as Laali Jaan, 40, and her daughter Firdausi, 22. Firdausi is employed at a premier private company in the national capital. The mother, daughter duo had accompanied two drug peddlers from Chennai Farooq and Fakruddin to Delhi-Haryana border last month. Later with help of two local peddlers they arranged 25 kg ephedrine powder worth Rs 25 lakh. The powder was possibly sourced from a pharmaceutical unit in Punjab or Himachal Pradesh.
Both arrested women and men are lodged in Hoshangabad Jail.
The NCB zonal director said Rs 25 lakh paid by two Chennai drug peddlers to obtain drug consignment was delivered to them in a New Delhi hotel by a courier of hawala racket possibly operating from Chennai.
Investigations by NCB-MP and Chhattisgarh revealed a middle-aged man in Bhopal, forming a key part of the racket, has operations from Chennai. He was in constant touch with two men from Chennai.