Zubair was caught with 132 luggage containing suspected contraband. Weighing 2,525 kg, the haul contained “high-purity methamphetamine” value round Rs 25,000 crore. An NCB official remarked that it was essentially the most “superior quality” of methamphetamine they’d ever come throughout within the unlawful drug market.

Investigations have revealed that the mothership, a big vessel carrying giant portions of medicine, began from the Iranian border and was ready for some small boats to obtain the consignment after it reached close to Kochi. Motherships solely sail in worldwide waters. (Express photograph)

An official stated, “Zubair, a native of Pakistan’s Balochistan province, worked for a businessman who has several motherships and boats. The businessman is a close aide of Salim and they asked Zubair to deliver this consignment in India. After reaching India, he was told that some people would come in boats and share a code with him. He was asked to hand over the consignment to them after that. They would then supply the drugs in India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.”

Salim, the official stated, is from Pakistan’s Pasni, and, as per intelligence inputs, his final recognized location was Karachi.

“He is one of the biggest drug traffickers of the region. He would procure illicit drugs from Afghanistan and process them in his labs, operating in a clandestine manner in Balochistan region. The processed drugs — heroin and methamphetamine — were trafficked from these labs to different parts of the globe through the maritime routes in large quantities. Each shipment usually weighed around 1,500-2,500 kg. The drugs processed in Salim’s labs are usually branded with marks such as ‘555’, ‘999’, ‘Flying Horse’ and ‘Scorpion’,” an official added.

NCB official stated Haji Salim would procure illicit medicine from Afghanistan and course of them in his labs, working in a clandestine method in Balochistan area. (Express photograph)

The operation

Recalling the May 13 operation, an NCB official stated the bureau had obtained a tip-off concerning the mothership. A entice laid by officers of the NCB and the Navy led them to a sinking vessel in worldwide waters and Zubair.

An official stated, “After developing the tip-off further, we caught the mothership in international waters, off the coast of Kochi. It was damaged and sinking, but we managed to seize the drugs. We also recovered a GPS tracker. The drugs were sourced from Jiwani, a port town in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, which is close to the Iran border.”

After reaching India, Zubar, the arrested Pakistan nationwide, was instructed that some folks would are available boats and share a code with him. (Express photograph)

Investigations to date have revealed that the mothership began from the Iran border and was ready for small boats to obtain the consignment after it reached near Kochi. Sources stated motherships solely sail in worldwide waters.

The official added, “During some previous seizures of drug consignments by the cartel, we came across arms and ammunition being trafficked alongside. We seized an AK-47 along with 1,000 live rounds and a 300-kg heroin consignment.”

An NCB official stated the seized methamphetamine, value round Rs 25,000 crore, was essentially the most “superior quality” of methamphetamine they’d ever come throughout within the unlawful drug market. (Express photograph)

Although the NCB has busted drug trafficking makes an attempt by the Haji Salim cartel earlier, that is the primary time that an Indian company has intercepted a mothership. This seizure was a part of ‘Operation Samudragupt’. Launched by the NCB in January 2022, the operation targets maritime trafficking of medicine originating from Afghanistan. This is the third main seizure by the NCB associated to maritime trafficking by means of the southern route prior to now 1.5 years.

NCB officers stated the seizure of the massive amount of methamphetamine exhibits its rising demand within the drug market. “This substance is quick changing ganja. Methamphetamine is cheaper than cocaine, so additionally it is generally known as poor man’s cocaine. There have been a number of situations of methamphetamine seizure in south India,’’ sources stated.