NCB officials arrest Colombian with cocaine worth Rs 36 crore

Mumbai: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials arrested a Colombian national on Saturday and seized 5.93 kg of cocaine worth Rs 36 crore from him. The accused, who is receiving training to become a commercial pilot, is a carrier and allegedly acted at the behest of his handlers based in Sao Paulo in Brazil.

NCB officials said that the accused, identified as Freedy Trujillo Renteria, had concealed the contraband in several packets, which were stuffed in two laptop bags. Earlier on Friday, the NCB had nabbed a Bolivian woman, Melgar De Claudia, from Mumbai airport for carrying 3.25 kg cocaine worth Rs 21 crore.

The preliminary investigations revealed that both Bolivians were working for the same handler. Both the accused had visited Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, from where they took a flight to Mumbai. Renteria began his journey from Panama and went to Sao Paulo, and then Addis Ababa and Claudia also travelled on the same route after starting her journey from Bolivia.

“This was Renteria’s third visit to India, and we are questioning him to acquire details about his previous trips. His visits to other countries are also being probed. The woman had travelled to India for the first time,” said a senior NCB officer.

Officials said that the duo had no information about whom to contact in Mumbai. They were supposed to wait for further instructions after reaching the city. The accused had also stayed in Sao Paulo for around three days to receive instructions.

A case under sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered against them and they have been remanded to custody for further interrogation.