The Narcotics Control Bureau`s Mumbai unit has traced the alleged mastermind behind a Rs 256.49-crore mephedrone racket to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A Red Corner Notice has been issued against the accused, Mohd Salim Shaikh, and efforts are under way to extradite him to India, officers said on Thursday.
Shaikh, who is accused of orchestrating one of Maharashtra’s biggest synthetic drug networks, went underground soon after the NCB unearthed a large-scale operation in Mumbai last year. Investigators said he played a key role in financing and coordinating the illegal manufacture and trafficking of Mephedrone across multiple districts.
According to NCB officers, a tip-off led to a midnight raid by NCB Mumbai’s Unit-7 near Ghatkopar Metro Station on Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Road at Pantnagar on February 16 last year. The operation resulted in the arrest of 15 accused, including a woman identified as Jyoti Chavan, as well as the seizure of 126.141 kg of Mephedrone valued at Rs 252.28 crore, along with Rs 4.19 crore in cash, 25 kg of raw materials, a Maruti Suzuki car, and a motorcycle.
Further searches at related locations revealed a deeper network. The officers raided a house on Vikhroli Road and recovered 3 kg of Mephedrone valued at Rs 6 lakh along with Rs 3.68 lakh in cash. The house belonged to Lalitnath Singh alias LC (25).
In a subsequent operation on March 25, NCB officers raided a factory in Bhandup, unearthing a fully functional unit for Mephedrone production. The search yielded 122.5 kg of Mephedrone valued at Rs 245 crore, raw materials, machinery, and the arrest of six additional accused.
In total, NCB seized narcotics, cash, vehicles, raw materials, and equipment worth Rs 256.49 crore. All the arrested accused are in judicial custody.
Officers said the Interpol Red Corner Notice against Shaikh was issued after confirming his presence in the UAE. Coordination with other related agencies in the UAE is ongoing, and the extradition hearing against Shaikh is scheduled for October 30.
The operations were led by senior officers of NCB Mumbai Unit-7, under the supervision of the joint director, deputy director, and other senior officers, in collaboration with the Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch.
