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International drug racket busted

The arrests were effected simultaneously in Canada, France, United Arab Emirates, South Africa and India on Wednesday, Ubale said while addressing a press conference in Bombay with Joint Police Commissioner B S Mohite and Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer Michel Roussey.

The two arrested in Bombay are Mohammed Hanif Haji Jusab alias Shahanawaz, director of Memon Cooperative Bank, and Cyrus Homi Cooper.

Mohite said Jusab was part of a large scale hashish trafficking international network, while Cooper was involved in money laundering operations.

The Canadian government has requested for the extradition of all those arrested to Canada, Mohite said adding, "We are in the process of completing the required procedures."

"The success of the combined operation by three agencies was a major boost for international cooperation and efforts against organised drug cartels," Ubale said.

The operation started in October-November 1999, Roussy added. It was initiated by the Canadian police along with the NCB and city police, was code-named 'Chevalin'.

The operation successfully located and cracked money laundering activities, involving millions of dollars obtained from the sale and trafficking of drugs.

Hashish originating from Pakistan used to be trafficked to Canada following circuitous routes through various countries, Ubale said.

Cooper has confessed to having links with Iqbal Mirchi, a drug trafficking kingpin holed up in the United Kingdom, Mohite informed.

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