JOIN USNCB summons Cordelia Cruises CEO in drugs seizure case
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has issued summons to the CEO of Cordelia Cruises in connection with the seizure of banned drugs from the ship off the Mumbai coast last week, an official said on Tuesday. As the probe is progressing, the NCB has summoned the CEO of the cruise liner to join the investigation, he said.
The NCB is seeking details of the passengers who were present onboard the Goa-bound ship and also examining the CCTV footages to get more evidence against the accused persons, the official said.
He said teams from other zonal units are also assisting the Mumbai NCB.
The NCB had seized 13 grams of cocaine, 5 grams MD, 21 grams Charas, 22 pills of MDMA and Rs 1.33 lakh at the International Cruise Terminal at the Green Gate in South Mumbai, he said.
The NCB has so far arrested 16 persons, including Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan, four organisers belonging to a Delhi-based event management company, and others, in connection with this case.
After raiding the ship on Saturday, the NCB's Mumbai zonal unit started a crackdown on drug peddlers connected with the arrested persons. The agency sleuths also brought some suspects, including from the cruise ship, to the NCB's office here for questioning, the official said.
On Sunday, the cruise company had issued a statement distancing itself from the incident. "Cordelia Cruises is in no way, directly or indirectly, connected to this incident. Cordelia Cruises had chartered its ship for a private event to a Delhi-based event management company,” Jurgen Bailom, Chief Executive Officer and President, Waterways Leisure Tourism Pvt Ltd said in the statement.
“We, at Cordelia Cruises, condemn all acts such as these and will strictly refrain from letting our ship out for similar events in the future. Nonetheless, Cordelia Cruises is extending our full support and cooperating with the authorities," it added.
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