Interpol has announced the seizure of 76 tonnes of narcotics worth $6.5 billion (Rs 5,395 crore) in a global crackdown on drug trafficking. Among the haul was a staggering quantity of fentanyl, potent enough to kill 151 million people.
The operation was codenamed Lionfish Mayag III. It was conducted from 30th June to 13th July with the participation of 18 countries across Asia and North America. Coordinated from Colombo, Sri Lanka, it led to the arrest of 386 individuals.
In India, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested Ketamelan alias Edison Babu and recovered drugs and $87,000 in digital assets. According to investigators, Edison Babu managed 600 shipments in 14 months. In Myanmar, heroin and millions of yaba pills were seized, while Mexico uncovered 1.7 tonnes of methamphetamine and 190,000 fentanyl tablets.
Smugglers attempted to conceal drugs in pineapples, surfboards, cat food packets and even tea powder, but the global sweep exposed their networks.
