Mumbai Police have arrested a wanted accused from Odisha in connection with a mephedrone trafficking case, an officer said on Wednesday.
The accused, identified as Ahmed Mohammed Shafi Shaikh alias Akbar Khau, is involved in at least 18 serious criminal cases, news agency PTI reported.
The Ghatkopar unit of the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) recently apprehended one Farid Shaikh with 64 grams of mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant drug commonly known as meow-meow or MCAT. During interrogation, Farid revealed that Ahmed Shafi was his supplier.
Ahmed Shafi had recently been released from jail after serving a sentence under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), PTI reported. However, he allegedly resumed drug peddling and became part of a mephedrone distribution network, the officer said.
Based on specific intelligence that Shafi was hiding in Sundargarh, Odisha, an ANC team tracked him down, arrested him, and brought him back to Mumbai.
He was produced before a court, which remanded him in police custody until Friday, the officer added.
Rs 2 crore mephedrone seized from car in Thane; 4 held
Police have seized mephedrone (MD) valued at Rs 2.14 crore from a car in Maharashtra`s Thane city and arrested four persons in this connection, officers said on Wednesday.
Based on suspicion, sleuths of the police`s ANC intercepted a car at a spot near the MTNL office in the Charai area on Monday evening and carried out a check.
They recovered 1.716 kg of mephedrone, a banned synthetic stimulant, valued at Rs 2,14,32,000, from the car and also impounded the vehicle, an officer from Naupada Police Station said.
The police arrested the car driver Imran alias Bacchu Kizhar Khan (37), businessman Vakas Abdulrab Khan (30), farmer Takuddin Rafique Khan (30) and labourer Kamlesh Ajay Chouhan (23), all hailing from Madhya Pradesh, the officer added.
A case was registered against the accused under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and a probe was on into it, the police said.
DRI Mumbai seizes over 42 kg high-quality hydroponic weed worth Rs 42 crore at Mumbai Airport
In a major success under continuing “Operation Weed Out”, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 42.34 kg of high-grade Hydroponic Weed, valued at approximately Rs 42 crore in the illicit market, from two passengers arriving from Bangkok at Mumbai`s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) on November 2.
According to a release, acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers intercepted the two passengers shortly after arrival and subjected their baggage to detailed examination. The search led to the recovery of 21 food packets, including noodles and biscuits, which were found to contain Hydroponic Weed concealed ingeniously within regular food packaging. Field tests using the NDPS kit confirmed the presence of narcotic substances.
The contraband, weighing 42.34 kg, was seized under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and both passengers were arrested.
(With PTI inputs)
