Mexican drug mafia are here in Mumbai

Think of the Mexican drug cartel, and some of the most brutal drug-related killings come to your mind. That notorious syndicate is now operating in Mumbai too. Officials from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the agency fighting drug trafficking at the national level, have told DNA that foreigners associated with the Mexican cartel visited the city several times last year. The drug dealers had also been to other parts of India, particularly the area in Gujarat where pharmaceutical factories have mushroomed in the past five years.

“The Mexican mafia now has complete control on trade and supply of cocaine to India and export of synthetic drugs, clandestinely manufactured in our country,” a senior NCB official said over phone from New Delhi. 

In the past two months, NCB launched at least three major operations to track down and arrest members of the Mexican drug cartel planning and executing large-scale cocaine transactions in Mumbai. But every time, the sleuths were outwitted.

“The Mexican link had been always there in the Indian drug market. But this is the first time we are witnessing direct involvement and presence of members of the cartel in India, particularly in the city. This is a disturbing sign,” said another NCB sleuth from Mumbai.

However, there is a silver lining to the crisis. “In fighting drug trafficking, it is very important to move up the supply chain. Prior to this, most of our prized catches have essentially been drug couriers, caught with a large consignment. But with the changing scenario, we are developing strong intelligence networks in second and third tiers of supply,” added the official.

Sources told DNA that members of the cartel visited India on excellent travel documents. “They can’t be pi-cked up just for questioning. NCB has to trap them with the dope to take the case forward,” said one of them.

In smuggling parlance, having excellent travel documents implies that a person, though travelling under an assumed identity, has the potential to trigger a diplomatic row if apprehended without substantial proof.

An NCB official recalled an incident involving a south African diplomat, who was suspected to be a member of an international drug cartel. “Last year, when the South African cricket team was leaving Mumbai after the one-day series, we had intelligence input that a South African diplomat, travelling on the same flight, was carrying contraband,” he said. 

The diplomat had come to India to attend a symposium. Technically he was a guest of the state. An NCB team stopped him at the airport and sear-ched his baggage, but nothing was found. “We were certain that he had concealed the contraband on his person,” said the official. But they dared not to frisk him. “He was furious and threatened to report racial discrimination. We had no option but to let him go. The risk was too great. If we had found nothing, it would have led to a diplomatic crisis,” he said.