Kingpin in drugs smuggling case deported from Malaysia: NCB

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Mumbai on Wednesday said that the kingpin behind a transnational drug trafficking syndicate, whose name had cropped up in a US cocaine smuggling case, was deported from Malaysia to India.

NCB officials said that the agency had secured the deportation of the kingpin behind the transnational drug trafficking syndicate from Malaysia with the assistance of other national and international agencies.

The suspected kingpin has been identified as Navin Gurunath Chichkar, an official said.

Explaining the case, the NCB official said that investigations in the matter began following the seizure of about 200 grams of cocaine that was hidden in a projector in a parcel being sent from Mumbai to Australia through a courier service on 21 January 2025.

“Following a bottom-to-top approach during the investigation, the NCB further seized 11.540 kg of cocaine, 4.9 kg of cannabis and 5.5 kg of cannabis gummies from the house of one of the members of the syndicate in Navi Mumbai,” said an official.

The NCB said that during investigations, officials found that a well-organised transnational syndicate was involved in trafficking cocaine from the USA to India and its further distribution within India and abroad.

Investigators found the involvement of a Clearing House Agent (CHA) and hawala operators in the case, and a total of eight people have been arrested so far. However, the kingpin, who had located himself in Thailand in 2021 after absconding from an earlier NCB case involving trafficking of drugs including LSD, was later found in Malaysia following a Red Notice issued by the NCB. He has now been brought back to India, the NCB said.

It added that investigations have already revealed that the syndicate was operating for at least a year, and multiple consignments of cocaine via air cargo were received in Mumbai during that period. Interrogation of the kingpin brought from Malaysia is likely to reveal more details of his operations, including the source of the drugs in the USA. Financial investigations in the case have already led to the identification of assets including properties and bank accounts in Thailand.

“Efforts are also ongoing to attach these properties,” said an official.

Earlier this month, the NCB successfully secured the deportation of an accused from the UAE, who was involved in a drug trafficking case in Bengaluru.

NCB’s appeal

The NCB has urged the public to support the fight against drug trafficking in India. Anyone with information related to the sale of narcotics can share it by calling the MANAS – National Narcotics Helpline toll-free number: 1933.

This article first appeared on Mid Day