The Mumbai Police Crime Branch’s Anti-Narcotics Cell apprehended a suspected drug supplier near Lokmanya Tilak Terminus and confiscated 3.886 kilograms of charas from him. The seized narcotics hold an estimated value of around Rs 3.89 crore in the global market. The accused has been detained for further investigation under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Efforts are in progress by the Mumbai Crime Branch officials to determine the source and destination of the drugs, investigating the procurement and distribution network. Meanwhile, the Narcotics Control Bureau recently secured convictions for five individuals in a significant synthetic drug trafficking case in Mumbai. The agency also seized assets exceeding Rs 6.5 crore associated with the illicit drug trade.
The case involved the trafficking of mephedrone, methamphetamine, and precursor chemicals, coupled with extensive money laundering and possession of illegal firearms, as per the NCB. Three of the accused, namely Parvez Khan alias Chinku Pathan, Mohammed Salman Khan, and Vikrant Jain, received five-year prison terms each along with fines of Rs 50,000. Another accused, Haris Faizullah Khan, was sentenced to one year in prison and fined Rs 10,000.
The NCB operation dates back to January 20, 2021, when Parvez Khan was apprehended in Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai. During the arrest, officials recovered 52.2 grams of mephedrone, an unlicensed pistol with live rounds, cash suspected to be from drug trafficking, and gold ornaments allegedly bought with illicit funds. Earlier this month, the NCB dismantled a transnational drug trafficking syndicate in Mumbai, seizing 349 kilograms of high-grade cocaine valued at nearly Rs 1,745 crore in coordinated raids across the region.
