Indian Couple Feels Guilty in £57 Million Cocaine Export
Operation to Australia

Los Angeles, Jan 30, 2024
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/ A.Gary Singh

A married couple feels guilty of exporting more than half a tonne of cocaine to Australia, after a (NCA - National Crime Agency) investigation found they were behind a front company that had sent the drugs by plane under a cover load of metal toolboxes.

Arti Dhir, 59, and Kavaljitsinh Raijada, 35, from Hanwell, Ealing, were identified by NCA investigators after Australian Border Force intercepted the cocaine, worth £57 million, upon its arrival in Sydney in May 2021. The drugs had been shipped via a commercial flight from the UK and consisted of six metal toolboxes which, when opened, were found to contain 514 kilos of cocaine.

The NCA investigation traced the criminal enterprise back to Dhir and Raijada, who had been directors of Viefly Freight Services since its incorporation in June 2015. Raijada's fingerprints were discovered on the plastic wrappings of the metal toolboxes, and receipts for the toolboxes' purchase were found at the couple's residence.

The NCA's case revealed that 37 consignments had been sent to Australia since June 2019, with 22 being dummy runs and 15 containing cocaine. Dhir and Raijada, former employees of a Heathrow flight services company, allegedly utilized their knowledge of airport freight procedures to facilitate their criminal activities.

The couple was initially arrested in June 2021, where authorities seized gold-plated silver bars, £13,000 in cash from their home, and an additional £60,000 in a safety deposit box. A subsequent arrest in February 2023 led to the discovery of almost £3 million in cash hidden in a storage unit rented by Raijada. Financial inquiries unveiled extravagant purchases, including an £800,000 flat in Ealing and a £62,000 Land Rover, despite minimal declared profits to HMRC.

Denying charges of exporting cocaine to Australia and money laundering, Dhir and Raijada were convicted of 12 counts of exportation and 18 counts of money laundering. Sentencing is scheduled for tomorrow (30 January), and the NCA will initiate Proceeds of Crime proceedings to seize the couple's assets.

Piers Phillips, NCA Senior Investigating Officer, emphasized the impact of the couple's greed on the global drug trade, highlighting collaborative efforts with Australian authorities. Detective Superintendent Peter Faux, Commander of the New South Wales Police Force Organized Crime Squad, commended the international partnership that thwarted the intricate drug importation attempt, stressing the significance of cross-border collaboration against organized crime.

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