2 kg cocaine worth Rs 15 crore seized from Mumbai hotel, 2 foreigners held

NCB, Mumbai arrested a Zambian drug carrier from a hotel in Mumbai on November 9 and 2 kg cocaine was recovered from his bag. He had been ordered to hand over the contraband to a person in Delhi. Based on this information, NCB went to Delhi and laid a trap in the area where the delivery had been planned. The officials arrested a Tanzanian woman, who was supposed to receive the drugs, from the spot.

Mumbai: The Mumbai Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has busted an international drug syndicate while arresting a Zambian national from a hotel in the city with two kg of cocaine and a Tanzanian woman from Delhi, police said on Monday.

It was learnt that the drug consignment was scheduled to be handed over by the Zambian man to the Tanzanian woman in Delhi. The seized contraband is worth Rs 15 crore, police said adding that further investigations are underway.

NCB Mumbai Zonal Director Amit Ghawate said they received information about an international drug syndicate planning to smuggle cocaine into India. Based on the information, a raid was conducted in a hotel in Mumbai on November 9. Hotel records stated that LA Gilmore, a Zambian national, had checked-in some hours ago and was arrested immediately.

While searching Gilmore's luggage, police initially did not find any suspicious item. But on closer inspection, cocaine was found hidden in the inner layers of his bag. During investigation it was revealed that Gilmore had flown to Mumbai that day and acted as a drug carrier. He had been directed to deliver the contraband to a person in Delhi.

Soon after getting the information, the NCB team reached Delhi and a trap was laid in the area selected for delivering the contraband. After waiting for sometime, a Tanzanian woman, identified as MR Augustino reached the spot and was arrested on November 11.

Investigations revealed that Augustino was supposed to receive the consignment from Gilmore. NCB took both the foreigners into custody for further interrogation.