4 held in joint drug op by Maharashtra ANTF, Bengaluru Police & NCB
Bengaluru (PTI): A joint operation by the Maharashtra Anti-Narcotics Task Force, the Bengaluru City Police and the Narcotics Control Bureau led to the arrest of four people in connection with the illicit manufacture and trafficking of mephedrone and related precursor materials, officials said on Monday.
In total, 4.2 kg of mephedrone valued at Rs 1.2 crore and 17 kg of precursor or raw material were seized, they said.
On December 21, Abdul Khader was detained in Mumbai by Maharashtra ANTF sleuths for allegedly possessing around 1.5 kg of mephedrone.
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According to a statement from the Bengaluru Police Commissioner’s office, Khader’s interrogation led to the arrest of Prashanth Patil of Belagavi, who provided information about the source of the contraband, directing investigators to Bengaluru.
“Maharashtra ANTF, in coordination with the Bengaluru City Police and NCB officials, apprehended Suresh Yadav at Katakanahalli, under Yelahanka police station limits, and Malkhan Ramlal Bishnoi at Kannur, under Bagalur police station limits,” the statement said.
The joint operation resulted in the seizure of 4.2 kg of mephedrone from a house in Yerappanahalli village under Avalahalli police station limits, along with 17 kg of liquid raw material and other chemicals stocked for preparation. Barrels, mixers and other equipment were also seized, police said.
Another mixer was recovered from N Gollahalli under Kothanur police station limits. However, no functional laboratory or factory was found at any of the raided locations, it said.
Police further stated that raw material stocked at a carpenter shed in Kannur was also seized.
The Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) team of the Bengaluru City Police analysed the seized material and submitted a preliminary report identifying chemicals such as 40 per cent methylamine, 48 per cent hydrobromic acid, aluminium chloride (anhydrous), sodium carbonate (anhydrous) and oxalic acid powder, it stated.
“We conducted tests on the finished 4.2 kg substance. The general test was positive for amphetamine, but specific tests for methamphetamine and MDMA were negative. It could be an impure substance,” the statement said.
The total seizure of drugs worth Rs 55 Crore was indicated by the Maharashtra police in its press briefing. However, the Bengaluru Police said that an official clarification regarding quantities seized and their total worth of the contraband is being sought from them to ascertain the purity of the material seized, based on which the total worth of the drugs seized can be quantified.
The joint operations were conducted between December 24 and 25. The accused were produced before the Devanahalli court on December 26, they added.
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Rupee hits all-time low for second time in a week
Mumbai (PTI): The rupee depreciated 31 paise to settle at 91.99 against the US dollar on Wednesday, touching the lowest closing level for the second time in less than a week, amid increased month-end demand for the greenback.
Forex traders said the rupee opened higher as the US dollar index softened and a long-awaited trade breakthrough with Europe offered quiet reassurance. However, increased month-end demand for the American currency as well as the ongoing geopolitical tensions dented investors' sentiments.
At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 91.60 and touched an early high of 91.50, but pared all the gains to touch an intra-day low of 91.99 against the greenback.
The domestic unit settled 31 paise down, revisiting its lowest-ever closing level of 91.99 against the greenback. The Indian currency previously ended at this level on January 23 when it also hit its all-time intraday low of 92 against the US dollar.
On Tuesday, the rupee rebounded from its all-time low levels and gained 22 paise to close at 91.68 against the US dollar.
Analysts said the rupee opened higher as the US dollar index softened and a long-awaited trade breakthrough with Europe bolstered investor sentiment.
India and the European Union on Tuesday announced the conclusion of negotiations for the free trade agreement (FTA), under which a number of domestic sectors such as apparel, chemicals and footwear will get duty-free entry into the 27-nation bloc, while the EU will get access to the Indian market at concessional duty for cars and wines, an official said.
The deal has been dubbed the "mother of all deals" as it will create a market of about 2 billion people.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.07 per cent lower at 96.14.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading 0.43 per cent lower at USD 67.28 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, Sensex jumped 487.20 points to settle at 82,344.68, while Nifty surged 167.35 points to 25,342.75.
Foreign Institutional Investors turned net buyers and purchased equities worth Rs 480.26 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.
