Kolkata: The Narcotics Control Bureau in Kolkata seized psychotropic substances, including ecstacy, LSD blots and magic mushrooms from a house in Kolkata and arrested three people in connection with the drug haul.
Deep Chakraborty, son of a well-known restaurateur and celebrity chef and Vivek Sharma, son of a Kolkata-based industrialist were among the three who were arrested on Saturday.
Sharma’s father owns a manufacturing unit in Howrah’s Liluah area. His cousin Rishab Sharma was the third to be arrested in connection with the drug haul. All of them were arrested from their respective residences in Alipore and other parts of South Kolkata.
This is the first time that magic mushrooms have been seized in Kolkata.
Speaking to News18, NCB Kolkata Zonal Head, Dilip Kumar Srivastava said, “We received a tip off about them from some of the previous arrests. We first decided to raid Vivek Sharma’s house and seized the drugs and hallucinogenic substances. After interrogating him, the others were also arrested.”
“Nearly 13.5 grams of ecstasy-like substance, 2.49 grams of magic mushrooms, 20 LSD blots and nine pink star-shaped pills, believed to be MDMA were recovered from their house. This is for the first time we have seized magic mushrooms in Kolkata,” he added.
Srivastava further informed that Deep Chakraborty is a professional disco jockey, while all of them were involved in supplying drugs to college students at various night clubs in the city. He added, “Chakraborty’s father runs a very popular restaurant in South Kolkata.”
Preliminary enquiry revealed that Vivek Sharma, a BBA graduate, has been dealing with contrabands along with his cousin Rishab, since March 2017. They used to buy the narcotics through an online portal of ‘Darkweb’ from ‘Dream Market’, using their cell phones.
“A software was installed in their cell phones and they used to do all their transactions through Bitcoin. The buyers mostly belong to the elite class,” Srivastava said.
When asked to elaborate on magic mushrooms, he added, “One can brew it in hot water or tea, make snacks, or even mix it with chocolate to consume.”
The three accused have been produced before the special NDPS court in Kolkata's Alipore. Investigation is on.
Meanwhile, NCB has expressed concern over the growing usage of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin as a mode of dealing for sex syndicates, drug and arms dealers.
In 2015, NCB for the first time intercepted two syndicates that were involved in drug trafficking using sophisticated cyber tools using the ‘Darknet’ and ‘Bitcoins’.
According to experts, in the recent years, crime syndicates are depending more on cryptocurrency as it allows illegal operations but with complete secrecy.
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