Drug Racket: Young D. Pharma shuts medical shop to join narcotics trade

Three arrested on Sunday; paraded in public through Champa Chowk and Jinsi.

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

Three days after the crime branch apprehended drug traffickers, the main suspect supplying the stock, Syed Shahid Ali Syed Ibrahim Ali (30, S.T. Colony, Udgir), was arrested. Shahid, a D.Pharmacy degree, had run a medical shop in Udgir. Investigations revealed that he shut down his medical shop and joined the narcotics racket after selling diluted drugs to addicts proved to be ten times more profitable.

On Saturday night, the crime branch, after a 15-kms chase, arrested Shaikh Sameer Rajasaab (24) and Umar Abdul Sahab Shaikh (36), both residents of Latur, and Syed Altaf Wahab (23, Balajichiwadi, Udgir). Authorities seized 3,120 bottles of drugs worth ₹12.48 lakh from their possession. During interrogation of the three held in police custody until January 28, Shahid’s name emerged. A special team was then sent to Latur to apprehend him.

Went to collect parcel despite partners’ arrest

Even after his associates were arrested on Saturday night in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Shahid went to Latur to collect the remaining stock of drugs. On Tuesday, assistant police inspector Vinayak, PSI Arjun Kadam, and other personnel Yogesh Gupta, Rajendra Salunke, Vilas Muthe, Manohar Gite, Shrikant Kale, Jalinder Gore and Santosh Chaure arrested him in Latur. Subsequently, 34 boxes of drugs sourced from Godhra, Gujarat were seized from Gandhi Chowk, Latur.

Cousins masterminded the racket

Shaikh Sameer and Shahid, who are cousins, are said to be the masterminds behind the operation. Through friends in the city, they came into contact with notorious criminal Ashfaq Patel (of Champa Chowk, Shah Bazaar) and began selling drugs widely to lure young people into addiction.

On Tuesday, crime branch police inspector Gajanan Kalyankar raided the area where Shaikh Sameer Rajasaab (24), Umar Abdul Sahab Shaikh, Syed Altaf Wahab, and Shahid were held and conducted a thorough search of Ashfaq Patel’s residence.