All 13 drug peddlers sent to judicial custody in city

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Police sent all 13 peddlers involved in trafficking narcotic drugs across Marathwada and western Maharashtra to judicial custody on Thursday. Authorities said that despite seizing large stockpiles and arresting multiple peddlers, this may temporarily block efforts to uncover the higher links in the racket. Police will focus on technical investigation of the suspects’ mobile chats and contact details.

On September 12, the Crime Branch and Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) seized 2,504 illegal medicine bottles from a logistics company in Waluj. Key traffickers Avinash Patil, Rupesh Patil, and Amol Yevale, all former medical drivers or MRs in Nashik, were arrested. Later that night, authorities arrested Arshad Pathan (Byajipura), Sameer Sheikh (Motikaranja), Abdul Azim (Misarwadi), Mosin Tamboli (Byajipura), Syed Sameer alias Stylo (Byajipura), Sohel Shah (Nawabpura), Rizwan Khan (Rengtipura), and Syed Jafar (Byajipura). Around 26 other traffickers in regular contact with them were named as co-accused. The seized stock contained codeine phosphate, a morphine-like drug. Police will investigate the source of the drugs from Uttar Pradesh and correspond with the pharmaceutical company to identify those illegally supplying the peddlers. The court had initially ordered police custody of all 13 accused until September 18. After presenting them in court on Thursday, all were sent to judicial custody. Officials clarified that preliminary questioning is complete and their right to re-arrest remains intact.