Ahmedabad: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Ahmedabad, busted an international drug trafficking syndicate with the seizure of 2 kg of ketamine and the arrest of four individuals, including three Nigerian nationals, the agency announced on Sunday.

Ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic commonly used for pain relief, is also misused recreationally for its hallucinogenic and euphoric effects.

According to the NCB, the accused were involved in smuggling ketamine from India to foreign countries using courier parcels. While the market value of the seized ketamine was not disclosed, the substance is in high demand in the United States, where it is also misused as a “date rape” drug, the statement added.

The investigation, which began on December 3, was prompted by intelligence about ketamine concealed in spice packets being shipped to the US via courier. Using surveillance and human intelligence, the NCB identified Adnan Furniturewala, a former Pune resident who had relocated to the US. Furniturewala was deported to India after facing charges in three drug trafficking cases in the US. While in India, he was also charged under the NDPS Act by the NCB Mumbai last year and later released on parole.

“In this case, the accused employed various strategies to evade authorities, frequently changing his hideouts,” the NCB noted. However, in a planned operation spanning Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, he was tracked down and arrested on December 8 at an apartment in Bengaluru’s Bellahalli area.

Further investigations revealed that the ketamine was supplied by a Nigerian syndicate based in Delhi, which utilized courier services for its distribution. On December 18, NCB officials apprehended three members of the syndicate—Emmanuel Ifanyi Nwaobiora (alias Mike), Ekeleme Ahamefula Joseph, and Emmanuel Osaja—in Delhi’s Mehrauli area.

The Ahmedabad zonal unit is continuing its investigation to identify the source of the contraband and dismantle the larger network involved, the agency added. DeshGujarat