The Mumbai Police on Friday arrested three men, members of an international drug syndicate, who had smuggled cocaine from Ethiopia to India a few months ago. The accused have been identified as Tarun Kapoor, 26, Himanshu Shah, 25, and Sahil Attari, 25.
On the basis of a tip-off, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had intercepted Shah and Attari at Chennai airport a few months ago. During the search, the agency seized a total of 5 kg cocaine from them. During interrogation, both identified Kapoor as the mastermind of the syndicate. The Mumbai NCB then arrested Kapoor on September 2 from Dongri area and handed him over to the Chennai NCB for further probe, said an official.
The agency conducted searches in Mumbai but they did not find any contraband and the trio were booked in Chennai under the NDPS case.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai police claims they also got a tip-off on September 2 and during a probe found that Kapoor had hidden contraband at Sabina guest house. The Dongri police conducted a search and seized 3 kilograms of cocaine worth Rs 15 crore.
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During the probe, the Dongri police learnt about the accused’s jail remand in Chennai. So they approached the court in Chennai and got their custody on production warrant.
Kapoor, Attari and Shah were brought to Mumbai on Friday and arrested in the cocaine seizure case. They were produced in the court and remanded in police custody till November 18, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Pravin Mundhe (Zone 1). The contraband was smuggled in the form of capsules, he said.
Kapoor and Attari are residents of Himachal Pradesh while Shah is a resident of Haryana. Kapoor had visited Ethiopia and brought the consignment in August. Once he arrived, Shah and Attari also went to Ethiopia but they were caught while bringing the consignment to Chennai airport, added the officer. The accused have a common friend in Ethiopia who is a native of Punjab and settled there. He has been providing them with drugs, the officer said.
