Mumbai Rave Party: NCB arrests 8 more; Aryan used cryptocurrency to purchase drug

Narcotics Control Bureau has arrested eight more accused in connection with drugs-on-cruise case. As the probe proceeds, links with international drug peddlers have been speculated. As per the NCB sources, Aryan Khan, Arbaz Seth Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha confessed to carrying drugs with them on the cruise

Mumbai: The number of arrests recorded in drugs-on-cruise case escalated to 16. The Narcotics Control Bureau has arrested eight more people, including Abdul Sheikh, Shreyas Nair, Manish Rajgaria, Avin Shahu, Sameer Saigal, Andan Gopal, Bhaskar and another person. Abdul Sheikh, Shreyas Nair, Manish Rajgaria, Avin Shahu have been remanded to the central agency's custody till October 11 while others will be produced before the court.

The NCB revealed that Aryan Khan allegedly used Whatsapp code word for the purchase of drugs using cryptocurrency. Speculations revolve around links with international drug peddlers. Aryan and Arbaaz Merchant's Whatsapp chat provided evidence that drugs were brought for Aryan, Arbaaz and their accomplices. The chat showed that Aryan asked Arbaaz merchant to bring drugs, NCB sources said.

Cordelia Cruise's CEO Jurgen Belom has also been summoned for questioning. As per the NCB sources, Aryan Khan, Arbaz Seth Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha confessed to carrying drugs with them on the cruise.

Further, Amitabh Kumar, Director General of Shipping, said that the cruise was not permitted to go on a sea voyage from Mumbai to Goa. There are technical reasons for this. As per Section 406 of the Merchant Shipping Act, the licence is mandatory to operate any vessel in Indian waters. Action will be taken against unlicensed cruises from Mumbai to Goa, said Deputy Director-General Mohammad.

Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) for the first time introduced reservations for Mumbai-Goa cruise tickets to boost water transport and cruise tourism in September 2021. The IRCTC had entered into an agreement with a foreign cruise company called Cordelia The Cruise, as per sources.

The operation followed a tip-off on the proposed rave party that was planned aboard a cruise ship bound on a Mumbai-Goa voyage, setting sail from the International Cruise Terminal, Mumbai. The advertisement of the party was reportedly disseminated via social media with the ticket rates at Rs75,000 per person.

To avoid detection, the NCB sleuths booked themselves on that cruise as ordinary passengers and they soon found some of their co-passengers consuming drugs. Different drugs like MDMA, ecstasy, cocaine, MD (mephedrone) and charas were recovered from them during the raid.