Drugs procured in names of two medical stores, four agencies; 9-year Surat link busted

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The anti-narcotics task force has arrested two Surat-based men for allegedly procuring addictive medicines using forged seals of two medical stores and over four pharma agencies and supplying them to the city since 2016.

The accused have been identified as Dhirubhai Lathiya (60) and Adnan Kapadia (29), who were arrested from Surat on Thursday. Deputy superintendent of police Sainath Thombre said both have been remanded to police custody till April 15. Earlier, on March 25, Ajmat Ahmed Beg (24), a native of Chavani–Chandmari settled in Surat, was arrested for allegedly supplying narcotic tablets and liquid drugs since 2021 with Surat-based medical operator Ramesh Chaudhary (35). The names of Lathiya and Adnan surfaced during the March arrests of Syed Firoz Akbar alias Andha (30), his brother Syed Azhar, and Taufiq Rashid Ali (24), all from Chandmari. The Surat operation was led by police inspector Geeta Bagwade. Police traced the racket to 2016, when illegal use of painkillers and critical medicines as intoxicants began. A criminal named Majid initially sourced stock from Surat but was murdered that year; he was in contact with Adnan. After his death, gang members allegedly resumed supply through Adnan. Rivalries later created parallel networks. Syed Firoz linked Ajmat to Adnan’s racket, and Ajmat later partnered with a woman allegedly involved in trafficking to expand operations. Though supply continued for nine years, this is the first breakthrough against Lathiya and Adnan. Known as “Kaka” in Surat, Lathiya shut his medical store in 2022 and allegedly started two pharma agencies and two medical shops on the same licence, placing orders with companies and routing stock through Adnan, a former medical store employee and sole link to Maharashtra buyers. No trafficker had direct access to Lathiya. After a two-day trap, PI Bagwade and her team, including Vijay Jagdale and Vishwas Shinde, arrested the duo. Investigations reveal Adnan, through Syed Firoz alias Andha, built a network of over 30 peddlers in the city, including the recently arrested Crime Branch gang, while operating from Surat.