Bengaluru NCB arrests Kerala man deported from UAE in drug case

Kerala Man Deported from UAE, Arrested by NCB in Bengaluru Drug Trafficking Case

A key suspect wanted in multiple drug trafficking cases has been arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Bengaluru Zonal Unit, after being deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). After Interpol issued a Red Corner Notice (RCN), the accused, a Kerala native, was taken into custody by UAE officials. Coordinated actions by Indian and foreign law enforcement authorities led to his expulsion.

Officials said the investigation began on July 18, 2023, when police at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru confiscated a package that contained 6.624 grams of LSD, which is considered a commercial amount. When a traveler from Mexico arrived, the drugs—which had been hidden inside books and magazines—were found. The primary accused was able to avoid arrest at the time, but the carrier and two other people who had arrived to pick up the package were taken into custody.

Investigations later revealed that the Kerala man was the key orchestrator of the operation. Apart from this case, he was also evading arrest in connection with a Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) case registered in Coimbatore on January 24. The NCB has chosen not to disclose his identity at this stage as inquiries are still ongoing.

Officials emphasized that the successful deportation was achieved after fulfilling all necessary legal procedures and through collaboration with multiple investigative bodies across countries.

This incident is part of a wider crackdown on drug smuggling at Bengaluru’s international airport. In a related case in February, NCB officials apprehended five individuals arriving from Thailand and seized 20 kilograms of high-grade hydroponic cannabis. The arrested individuals claimed they had been used as drug mules by unknown operatives who sponsored their leisure travel to Thailand and instructed them to carry back concealed narcotics.

The NCB suspects these unidentified individuals are linked to international drug trafficking syndicates operating across borders, using unsuspecting travelers to transport illicit substances.