NCB seizes 4.1 kg charas worth Rs 75 lakh from Sealdah, 1 held

Kolkata: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Eastern Region, has seized 4.1 kg charas concealed in packets of tea, Horlicks, cashew nuts and raisins. The drug was destined to Hongkong through a private courier service. One person has been arrested in this case.

According to the NCB officials, they got a tip off on Sunday that a large volume of drugs were about to be exported abroad. Immediately, a team reached the courier counter in Sealdah. While searching the sleuths found several packets of a renowned tea company of India weighing about 42 kg along with 12 kg Horlicks, 2 kg cashew nuts and 3 kg raisins.

On seeing the packets, the suspicion of the NCB officials grew further. Wasting no time they opened all the packets and found charas concealed in several different packets. The value of the seized charas is worth Rs 75 lakh.

Upon questioning the courier service authority, the sleuths came to know that the consignment was booked by one Kurban Mohammad Gilani Ansari who is a permanent resident of Govandi in Mumbai.

He was staying at Kidderpore in Kolkata. The courier service authority was asked to call Ansari and tell him that some problem has arose regarding his consignment. On hearing problems about his consignment, Ansari went to meet the courier service authority. When he approached the counter, NCB sleuths surrounded him. He was immediately detained.

Later his residence at Kidderpore were raided. The NCB officials seized cash worth Rs 33,760, ID cards on different names, bank deposit slips and 3 airway bills by which contrabands were sent earlier in the packet of sonpapdi to Hongkong. His one of consignments through Aramex courier on April 17 vide shipment no.3458907981 weighing 271 kg charas concealed in packets of sonpapdi was seized by Hongkong police. Ansari was produced before City Sessions Court on Monday and remanded to 5-day NCB custody by the court.