Mumbai: The Customs department on Wednesday arrested a Hyderabad based man for allegedly importing commercial quantity of MDMA drugs through foreign post from abroad.

According to the Customs sources, one imported packet addressed to the accused at Hyderabad and being imported through Foreign Post Office (FPO), Ballard Estate, Mumbai was intercepted and examined by the Customs officials on 07.02.2024 which resulted in recovery of MDMA having net weight 15.45 grams (commercial quantity) which is a psychotropic drug covered under NDPS Act and therefore was seized on reasonable belief that the same was smuggled into India.

In this regard, First Summons dated 29.05.2024 was sent to consignee to appear in person before the Customs department on 19.06.2024. The consignee accepted the summons but didn't present himself on said date. Consequently, second summons dated 22.11.2024 was sent to the consignee to appear on 26.12.2024.

"In response to the second summons the accused appeared before Customs officials on 15.01.2025. In his own statement the accused confessed that the name, address and mobile number mentioned on parcel belongs to him but he denied the import of the said parcel. He was also unable to give any reasonable or plausible reason for the import of said parcel. Further, the accused was giving evasive replies to the questions of officers and there have been multiple discrepancies in his statement. He was not co-operating in the investigation and hiding the information of his associates involved in this crime following which he was arrested," said an agency source.

"Investigations are on for unearthing the role of accused in the whole conspiracy and gather crucial evidence and investigate role of the accused in import of the said parcel, and check his past import details through Foreign Post Office, Mumbai. Further, it is possible that there might be an international crime syndicate behind this, which is smuggling contrabands into India," the official said.