MUMBAI: Customs officials arrested two persons while accepting drugs worth Rs 68 lakh came in the form of "letter" via foreign post office from the Netherlands and the payment for the drugs was made via crypto currency.
The two arrested accused, Danish Shaikh and Samad Umatiya are based in western suburbs and had ordered the drugs using darknet recently. The drugs came in letter parcels via post at Foreign Post Office in Mumbai at Ballard Estate area of South Mumbai June 5. The customs officials intercepted the consignment on suspicion and while examining found illegal drugs worth Rs 37 lakh was concealed inside.
On Thursday, customs officials along with the postman went to deliver the parcel at Jogeshwari address where Danish came to collect it. The postman handed over the letter to Danish after which the customs official who was waiting nearby nabbed him. Subsequently, the customs officials also arrested his accomplice, Samad Umatiya, who was the mastermind of ordering the drugs. Samad confessed that more drugs worth Rs 31 lakh were coming on Monday from the same supplier, and the Customs official intercepted it.
Samad told the officials that he had purchased crypto currency from a Malad based currency dealer by paying cash. He then made the payment to foreign based drugs suppliers in crypto currency. While examining Samad’s crypto wallet, the officials traced the supplier account details in which the payment was made but they were unable to proceed further as he is based abroad.
Officials stated that the suppliers based abroad convey to the buyers here about the specific crypto currency through which they wanted to be paid. The buyers searched crypto suppliers and asked them if they had specific required crypto. The suppliers arrange it to buyers through his contact and transfer it to them in a crypto wallet of the buyer against the cash payment of similar amount in Indian currency.
The drug suppliers provide their account details to buyers in which the buyers need to make payment through the crypto currency from their wallet. The buyers and drug suppliers communicate via online messenger that does not save data.
