Drug peddler held with cannabis worth Rs 5 lakh

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The anti-terrorism squad (ATS) caught red-handed a drug peddler with 246.50 grams of charas alias cannabis (21 bars) of valuing Rs 4.93 lakh from old Mondha on Thursday evening. The name of the accused is Mohammed Adnan Shaikh Ashraf (27, Ganesh Colony). He is an addict and works as an auto driver to earn his livelihood.

It is learnt that ATS police inspector Nitin Kandare and assistant PI Rahul Rode got a tip about the smuggling of cannabis worth lakhs of rupees being transported to the city from Mumbai. Kandare and Rode then geared up and after verifying the facts about Adnan laid a trap between old Mondha and Telegraph office. He was caught red-handed with a handbag containing the charas on Thursday evening.

Acting upon the orders of the police inspector Santosh Patil, a complaint was registered against him at Kranti Chowk on the basis of a complaint made by API Rode. The API of Kranti Chowk police station Rajkumar Pujari produced him in the court where the judiciary pronounced police custody remand (PCR) to Adnan till July 31.

Mumbai connection in smuggling

Pundaliknagar police, on Tuesday, arrested Anil Ambadas Malve (51, Prakashnagar) along with MD drugs, charas (cannabis) and ganja (marijuana). He confessed to bringing these drugs from the main accused at Mumbai’s Grant Road. Adnan also has a Mumbai connection as he used to visit Mumbai every week or fortnight. Surprisingly, both of them would prefer travelling by train.

delete chat history

Adnan has decided to hand over the drugs in his possession to one buyer. Rode started chasing him from Delhi Gate. However, the buyer who was on the call with Adnan was frequently changing the venue for verification. He called Adnan at different places - Delhi Gate, Shahgunj, Sunday Bazaar and Tar Bhavan (Telegraph Office) - four times. Lastly, he called him ahead of the Telegraph office but moved on without halting. Hence the squad held Adnan. It is learnt that the racketeers do not communicate with each other through common phone calls or messages. The business is done through Whatsapp chat. The photo of drugs is uploaded and after finalisation of the deal, the chat is deleted from the history, said the police sources.