Mumbai: Eight Pakistani nationals get 20 years in jail in 2015 drug seizure case

A special court in Mumbai on Wednesday sentenced eight Pakistani nationals to 20 years in prison in connection with a 2015 case involving the seizure of more than 200 kg of drugs valued at nearly Rs 7 crore news agency PTI reportedSpecial Judge Shashikant Bangar convicted the eight individuals for offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act NDPS Act 1985The court imposed the maximum penalty allowed under NDPS Act handing them each a 20year jail term PTI reported A fine of Rs 2 lakh was also levied on each of the convictsIn 2015 the Indian Coast Guard apprehended the accused from a boat carrying 232 kg of heroin valued at Rs 696 crore off the Gujarat coastAccording to the prosecution there were 11 drums on the boat containing 20 plastic pouches filled with a wheatishbrown powder PTI reportedTests on the contents of each packet confirmed the substance to be heroinThe eight Pakistani nationals were also found in possession of three satellite phones global positioning system GPS navigation charts and other electronic devicesThey were later handed over to the Yellow Gate Police in South MumbaiSpecial Public Prosecutor Sumesh Punjwani urged the court to impose the maximum sentence emphasising that it would serve as a deterrent to other drug traffickersThe defence counsel however called for a more lenient approachAfter hearing both sides the court refused to show leniency and sentenced the eight accused to the maximum punishmentWoman held with drugs worth Rs 66 crore in KolkataIn a significant crackdown on the illegal trade of spurious drugs a joint investigation was carried out by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation CDSCO East Zone and the Drugs Control Directorate West Bengal at a wholesale premises in Kolkata on Tuesday December 31 2024 news agency ANI reportedThe raid conducted at Ms Care and Cure For You in Kolkata led to the seizure of a large quantity of anticancer antidiabetic and other drugs suspected to be counterfeit a release from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated on TuesdayThe drugs labelled as being manufactured in countries such as Ireland Turkey the United States of America USA and Bangladesh were found without any documentation to prove their legitimate importation into India ANI reported In the absence of such supporting papers these drugs are considered to be spuriousThe investigating team also discovered several empty packaging materials raising further doubts about the authenticity of the seized productsThe total market value of the drugs seized is estimated to be approximately Rs 66 crore To facilitate a proper investigation samples of the drugs have been sent for quality testing ANI reported The remaining stock is being held in safe custody by CDSCO the release notedAs a result of the investigation a woman identified as the proprietor of the wholesale firm was arrested She was taken into custody by the Drugs Inspector of CDSCO East Zone The court has granted judicial custody of the accused for 14 days and authorised further interrogation The investigation is ongoingWith ANI and PTI inputs