New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) The International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), in one of its biggest worldwide operations against drug trafficking, made a massive seizure of synthetic drugs valued at $ 6.5 billion, the global crime policing body said on Tuesday.

The authorities intercepted a total of 76 tonnes of drugs, including 51 tonnes of methamphetamine, along with fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and chemical precursors, from across continents, including Asia and North America.

A total of 386 arrests were made during the two-week operation, including a red corner notice suspect, running a large-scale methamphetamine smuggling operation into Incheon National Airport.

The record confiscation of drugs took place under ‘Operation Lionfish-Mayag III’, conducted over a period of 15 days, from June 30 to July 13.

The Operation Lionfish-Mayag III was focused on combating the manufacturing, trafficking and smuggling of synthetic drugs across 18 countries in Asia and North America.

In Sri Lanka, the Operational Coordination Unit brought together specialised officers and international partners to work together in real-time on transnational cases.

In India, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) authorities dismantled a top Darknet drug syndicate known as “Ketamelon”.

LSD blots and ketamine, as well as digital assets with an estimated value of $87,000, were seized by the authorities. Investigations revealed the vendor was responsible for more than 600 drug shipments in the past 14 months.

In Myanmar, two vehicles, carrying 22kg of heroin hidden in pineapples, and the other containing 5.25 million yaba pills, were impounded. Investigations traced both shipments to the same person, and a subsequent house search led to the seizure of an additional 4 million pills.

In the Lao PDR, 3.9 tonnes of methamphetamine and 10 production machines were seized, leading to the arrest of two individuals.

In the Maldives, authorities intercepted 3.86kg of ketamine concealed inside a surfboard, while in Myanmar, the traffickers concealed the heroin in powdered tea.

The Lionfish-Mayag III also caught many big fish of drug trafficking in Mexico and the United States.

In Mexico, the authorities seized more than 190,000 fentanyl tablets and 1.7 tonnes of methamphetamine.

“In the United States, the Drug Enforcement Administration officers seized MDMA pills laced with fentanyl, while in Indonesia, authorities intercepted 116kg of xylazine, a veterinary tranquilliser often mixed with fentanyl, heroin, or cocaine,” said an official statement.

It further said that the authorities are witnessing a rise in nitazenes, highly potent synthetic opioids with up to 200 times the potency of morphine.

Small amounts are enough to be deadly, making them more profitable, easier to transport and increasingly difficult to detect.

The US authorities also seized a parcel containing metonitazene at JFK Airport, sent from the United Kingdom, and a separate package containing protonitazene at Chicago O’Hare Airport, sent from China.

Speaking on the multi-national police operation, the INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said, “The drugs trafficked by transnational criminal networks fuel violence, cripple economies and endanger public health. Each successful seizure highlights the power of law enforcement working together to protect lives and dismantle these threats.”

–IANS

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