Mumbai gateway for international narcotics trade
March 26th, 2011 - 11:26 pm ICT by IANS
Mumbai, March 26 (IANS) Mumbai remains the most important gateway for the international drug trafficking business in which a large number of Nigerians and east African nationals are involved, a top official said here Saturday.
A large number of drug consignments pass in or out of Mumbai which has the country’s busiest airport and sea port, with a huge inflow of domestic and international tourists and is densely populated, said Yashodhan Wanage, zonal director, Narcotics Control Bureau.
“We also have a large number of students coming from Nigeria and other east African countries, businessmen and tourists. A small percentage of them become conduits in the narcotics trade,” Wanage told IANS.
Besides the supply, even the demand in Mumbai for expensive drugs like heroin and cocaine is among the highest in the country, he said.
The NCB has managed to build up a formidable network to counter the drugs mafia and the detection rate is the highest in Mumbai, Wanage said.
On the occasion of its ongoing silver jubilee celebrations, Wanage said that film star Abhishek Bachchan will flag off “An Awareness Run Against Drug Abuse” Sunday morning from Nariman Point to Police Gymkhana at Chowpatty.
It will be followed by an interactive session on drug abuse in which prominent personalities and non-government organisations working in the field will participate.
The NCB was established March 17, 1986 as a small set up with just 164 sleuths in five zonal offices.
In the past 25 years, it has spread to 13 zones and has 12 intelligence cells operated by 900 sleuths, he said.
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