New Delhi, The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday said that they have launched ‘Operation Garuda’ through Interpol to end drug smuggling in international jurisdiction. A senior CBI official said that the Global Campaign in close coordination with Interpol and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to tackle illicit drugs and narcotics smuggling with special focus on the Indian Ocean region. has been started. He said, drug trafficking networks with international ties require law enforcement cooperation in international jurisdictions.
In Operation Garuda, the CBI has led a global campaign to crack down on handlers, operatives, production zones and support elements, the official said. The CBI and the NCB are coordinating with the police agencies of all the states and union territories for information exchange and operational information gathering. During Operation Garuda, searches, seizures and arrests were made in many states in India. Apart from CBI and NCB, police from eight states/UTs including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Manipur also participated in the operation.
During this special operation by NCB and several state police forces including Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Maharashtra, around 6600 suspects were investigated, 127 new cases were registered and around 175 including six declared absconders. People were arrested. 5.125 kg heroin, 33.936 kg ganja, 3.29 kg charas, 1365 g mephredone, 3380 smack, approx 87 tablets, 122 injections and 87 syringes buprenorphine, 946 tablets alprazolam, 105.997 kg tramadol, 10 g hash oil, 0.9 g ecstasy tablets, 1.150 kg Opium, 1.437 kg of narcotic powder and 11,039 tablets/capsules were recovered. (IANS)