Murder In Gujarat, Drugs In Australia: Indian-Origin Couple's Empire Falls
NDTV
Arti Dhir, 59, and Kavaljitsinh Raijada, 35, from West London's Ealing, found themselves at the centre of a multi-million-pound drug trafficking operation that spanned continents.
In a chilling tale that seems plucked from the script of the acclaimed TV series Ozark, an Indian-origin couple residing in the UK has been sentenced to 33 years in prison each for a crime that transcends international borders. Arti Dhir, 59, and Kavaljitsinh Raijada, 35, from West London's Ealing, found themselves at the centre of a multi-million-pound drug trafficking operation that spanned continents, mirroring the intricate webs of deceit portrayed in the popular crime drama.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) unraveled the elaborate scheme when the Australian Border Force intercepted over half a tonne of cocaine, valued at a staggering 57 million pounds, which is over Rs 600 crore, upon its arrival in Sydney in May 2021. The drug-laden cargo, cleverly concealed within metal toolboxes, was traced back to the seemingly ordinary couple who had established a front company named Viefly Freight Services to facilitate their drugs smuggling network.
A court heard that the couple's front company had dispatched the narcotics via a commercial flight from the UK. When authorities cracked open the metal toolboxes, they discovered a staggering 514 kilograms of cocaine. The street value of this illicit cargo in Australia, where drug prices soar well above those in the UK, was estimated to be 57 million pounds.
