Three people were arrested after the Mumbai Crime Branch seized more than 2 kg of heroin, valued at over Rs 10 crore, in two separate operations, officials said on Tuesday.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, Unit 11 of the Mumbai Crime Branch recovered a total of 2.032 kg of heroin from the three suspects. The seized narcotics have an estimated market value of Rs 10.16 crore, making the operation a major drug seizure by the Mumbai Police.

According to officials, the first operation was conducted on October 14 in Kandivali West after the Crime Branch received secret information about the suspected movement of narcotics in the area.

During the operation, the police seized 758 grams of heroin, valued at approximately Rs 3.79 crore, from two suspects.

The investigation was subsequently extended based on information obtained during the interrogation of the two arrested individuals, according to the officials.

Acting on these leads, officials said that the Crime Branch conducted another operation on October 17 and recovered an additional 1.274 kg of heroin, worth approximately Rs 6.37 crore, from a third suspect.

With the recovery made in the second operation, the total quantity of heroin seized from the three suspects reached 2.032 kg, with the combined estimated value of the contraband standing at Rs 10.16 crore, officials said.

The Mumbai Police have registered a case against the accused under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and have launched a further investigation into the alleged drug trafficking network.

According to police, preliminary findings indicate that the arrested individuals may be linked to a heroin-smuggling syndicate suspected to be operating across state borders, officials said.

Investigators are examining the network’s activities and attempting to establish the extent of its operations.

The police are also working to identify and trace the suppliers who allegedly provided the seized heroin, along with other individuals suspected of involvement in the purchase, distribution and sale of the illegal narcotics.

An investigation is underway to determine the source of the contraband, officials said.

The son of a police Sub-Inspector was shot dead, while another son sustained critical injuries in a shooting incident in Bihar’s Gaya district, police said on Tuesday. Two suspects have been detained for questioning.

The incident took place near Siddharthpuri Colony, close to Nauranga Aahar, under the Mufassil police station area in Manpur.

The victims were identified as Ranu Singh, 30, who died of his injuries, and his elder brother, Monu Singh, 32, who is undergoing treatment at Magadh Medical Hospital and is reported to be in critical condition.

Their father, Sudhanshu Shekhar alias Pintu Singh, is a police Sub-Inspector currently posted in Motihari.

According to family members, the brothers had a dispute with someone in the neighbourhood and were subsequently called to a location over the phone.

When they arrived, armed assailants allegedly opened fire on them, leaving both brothers seriously injured. Ranu later succumbed to his injuries.

Police personnel rushed to the scene after receiving information and recovered three spent cartridge casings during an inspection.

Two suspects have been taken into custody and are being questioned to establish their alleged involvement and identify others connected with the attack.

A dispute over gambling is suspected to have triggered the shooting, although police have not officially confirmed the motive.

Local residents have claimed that the area is associated with gambling and the sale of illicit liquor.

The brothers originally belonged to Jethian village under the Atri police station area of Gaya district.

The family had been residing at their house in Siddharthpuri Colony, Road No. 1, under the Mufassil police station limits.

The shooting has caused concern among residents and members of the police department, given that the victims are the sons of a serving police officer.

Police said the investigation was underway to establish the sequence of events, ascertain the motive and identify all those involved in the attack.

Mexican drug cartels are increasingly exploring local production of narcotics in India, using rented houses as clandestine manufacturing units as tighter border security makes trafficking large consignments riskier, officials said.

Officials said the trend has emerged where the cartel bosses have instructed their India operatives to find small houses and turn them into narco production units. This is the modus operandi being increasingly followed by the Mexican cartel Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación. This makes the job of the law enforcement agencies harder, as this is one of the most powerful, influential, and violent transnational criminal syndicates, the official added.

This cartel has realised that India is a major market. It does not want to risk sending big consignments as several of them have been apprehended. The major busts recently by the Indian agencies have shaken up the cartels. Moreover, the cartels understand that there is a huge demand for narcotics in the Indian market and hence, it would be safer to cater to the same by producing locally and at unassuming locations, the official said.

The funds to set up these units are directly pumped in from Mexico. It first transfers funds to Dubai using cryptocurrency, following which it makes its way into India through hawala channels. The modus operandi indicates the operations are deliberately kept low-key.

Officials said the syndicate’s operatives prefer houses in densely populated neighbourhoods, where unusual activity may attract less attention. This helps evade suspicion. Another official said the cartels have taken up multiple houses for rent and have turned them into units to produce narcotics. These units not only pose a threat to national security but also cause environmental hazards. There is a lot of untreated chemical waste these units generate. This has led to contamination of drainages, water bodies, and the local soil.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) recently appealed to homeowners and property dealers to remain vigilant while giving houses on rent. “Citizens are encouraged to report suspicious indicators such as unusual chemical odors, unexplained storage of drums, or heavy lab equipment to the National Narcotics Helpline MANAS at 1933, reinforcing the nation’s collective stride toward a Nasha Mukt Bharat,” an NCB advisory read.

The Mexican cartels are relatively new players in India. Initially, China was the primary source for synthetic drugs produced by the Mexican cartel. However, after regulations on fentanyl and methamphetamine were tightened, operations moved to India.

Officials say that operations are currently on a smaller scale. This cartel is still testing the waters and, over a period of time, would look to set up many more home production units in India.

The focus is also more on areas around New Delhi and Greater Noida. However, these cartels have links in Mumbai as well and would eventually look to spread their operations to more parts of the country, officials say.

In the most recent operation, the NCB seized 380 kg of methamphetamine worth Rs 50 crore from units in Greater Noida. The facility was equipped with glass reaction vessels, filtration machinery, large-capacity heating mantles and laboratory apparatus. This signals that the unit was set up in a manner to produce huge quantities of narcotics.

An Intelligence Bureau official said the recruitment pattern of the cartels is interesting. If a unit has to be set up in Delhi or Noida, it would never hire locals for the job as their faces are familiar. The preference is for Nigerian nationals or youth from the northeast. Those hired pose as students and then take up the accommodation.

In the case of students, the suspicion of the landlords or property dealers is comparatively less. Moreover, these persons do not bargain hard when it comes to the rent, and this is another reason why landlords give their homes on rent.

For the NCB and other law enforcement agencies, this adds another dimension in the battle against drugs. It is harder to track such units as they are in unassuming locations, and this is exactly what the cartel has in mind as it plans to expand operations to more parts of the country, an official said.