Kolkata: Drug peddler wanted for smuggling 15,000 bottles of cough syrup arrested by NCB | Latest news India

According to a statement, in one of the most challenging anti-drug operations involving the interception of illicit trafficking of Codeine Cough Syrups (CBCS) destined for Bangladesh, the NCB Kolkata on November 13, 2024, arrested an international drug peddler namely Gautam Mondal from Kolkata who was wanted in connection with a seizure of 14,998 bottles of GBCS (Phensedyl brand) from NCB Kolkata.

NCB said Gautam Mondal is a notorious drug peddler with a history of gold smuggling. “He has 3 known DRI cases relating to smuggling of huge quantity of gold worth Crores. He had also grabbed his claws in the illicit trafficking of CBCS routed through West Bengal and destined for Bangladesh. Gautam Mondal is a long-term wanted habitual offender in 3 cases known to NDPS of STF West Bengal,” the NCB said.

The NCB further said that the CBCS seized in the Kolkata NCB case originated from Uttar Pradesh and were illegally diverted from legal channels.

“Gautam Mondal is a hardcore NDPS delinquent whose modus operandi is to work at multiple levels. He has trained several of his henchmen to work in pairs for a particular set of tasks and keeps changing them in order to avoid detection by law enforcement in drug matters,” NCB added.

NCB said Gautam’s arrest comes as a major blow to the functioning of his entire drug smuggling organization, which he led from the top. “An investigation to identify and apprehend his collaborators is underway. A joint interrogation with DRI Kolkata and STF West Bengal will be conducted to bust his organized crime syndicate,” the NCB added.