Parcel delivery is so convenient for people that it saves time and helps move packages from one place to another with just a few clicks. But who knew that criminals could use the same convenience for their own purposes? In Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, a suspected drug dealer used a popular parcel delivery app to send a drug consignment to another location within the city. The incident raises concerns about the possible misuse of app-based parcel delivery services and adds another challenge for the police in tracking crime carried out through everyday services.
The incident took place on Sunday night. What alerted the police was not a routine parcel check, but the suspicion of a businessman who had been receiving repeated delivery-related OTP messages.
According to police, a businessman from Hathijan had been receiving OTPs from a delivery app for nearly a week. When another message arrived on Sunday night, he became suspicious and contacted the delivery person using the number mentioned in the message.
He learnt that a parcel had been booked in his name and that the delivery rider had already collected it. Suspecting that something was amiss, the businessman alerted the police.
The delivery rider also grew suspicious after opening the parcel and noticing its contents, prompting him to inform the police.
Drugs allegedly concealed in an AirPods box
According to the police, the parcel had been booked by Priyang Sanghvi, a resident of Sabarmati. Investigators suspect that the consignment contained mephedrone, a synthetic drug, concealed in a plastic zipper pouch inside an AirPods box.
The parcel was packed near Kothari Hospital in Hansol and booked for delivery to Gota. Police picked up Sanghvi for questioning and seized the suspected contraband.
Investigators are also examining whether another person’s mobile number was used to book the delivery to avoid detection. The delivery rider and the businessman have been listed as witnesses in the case.
Police probe possible misuse of delivery services
The police are now determining the nature of the seized substance and investigating the circumstances surrounding the booking and transportation of the parcel.
The incident highlights how services designed to make everyday transactions faster and more convenient can potentially be misused for unlawful activities. The investigation will establish the nature of the substance and the circumstances behind the suspected attempt to transport it through a delivery app.
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