NCB busts Goa-based inter-state drug syndicate

MUMBAI: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) busted a Goabased inter-state narcotics trafficking syndicate, arresting four accused persons, including its alleged kingpin and his wife, and freezing the couple’s assets worth around ₹1.06 crore acquired via illegal means.

The agency’s investigation into the drug syndicate commenced with the arrest of an alleged peddler named Raju on February 13. He was intercepted in North Goa with 7.35 gram of cocaine. Subsequent inquiries revealed that Raju was affiliated with a drug network purportedly overseen by a Nigerian national named Stanley and his wife, Usha C, living in Candolim. Agency sources indicated that Stanley, the alleged kingpin, employed locals as carriers to distribute narcotics in bulk quantities to his clients.

Following Michael’s interrogation, a taxi driver suspected of drug trafficking, the agency searched Stanley’s premises. Stanley had been detained by Telangana police since February 5 in connection with narcotics. Consequently, the NCB arrested Stanley’s wife, Usha, for her alleged involvement in drug trafficking and managing the syndicate’s proceeds. Assets allegedly acquired unlawfully by the couple were identified and frozen by the NCB on April 4. Subsequently, Stanley was arrested on April 10 as part of the ongoing investigation.

In a separate operation in Goa, acting on a tip-off related to in-house cannabis cultivation, the agency searched the residence of Jason I, a British national, in north Goa. During the search, the agency recovered 33 newly-grown cannabis plants, 10 gram of Ganja, and proceeds of crime worth ₹40,000 from the premises. Jason was arrested and is out on bail currently. He was earlier arrested by the agency in 2022 in connection with the seizure of several types of psychotropic substances.