Mumbai Police seize ₹70 lakh worth of drugs, arrest four

The anti-narcotics cell of the Mumbai Police carried out a successful operation on Sunday evening, resulting in the recovery of drugs valued at ₹70 lakh. The operation, which led to the arrest of four alleged drug peddlers, was conducted in the Kurla and Dongri areas of Mumbai, Maharashtra.

In the aftermath of the arrests, the Mumbai Police registered a case under the National Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. An official of the Mumbai police said all the accused were produced in a court and were sent to police custody. They were identified by the police as Bajid Ashraf (21), Moin Hanif Bhujwala (35), Imran Faruk Shaikh, also known as Boxer (38), and Riyaz Eliyaz Shaikh (41).

The Azad Maidan Unit and Kandivali Unit of the Anti-Narcotics Cell played a pivotal role in apprehending the drug peddlers and recovering a significant quantity of MD drugs. The recovered drugs were estimated to have a value of ₹70 lakh in the international market.

This operation is part of the ongoing efforts by the Mumbai Police to combat drug-related activities and to prevent illegal drug circulation within the city.

In a related development, a unit of the Mumbai Crime Branch apprehended a 58-year-old man who had been absconding in connection with a case involving the seizure of mephedrone (MD) drugs worth ₹16 crore from a factory in Solapur, Maharashtra. Kailasm Vanmali, the accused, had been on the run since October 14 and had travelled to various locations, including Telangana, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. Police efforts to track him culminated in his arrest on October 26 in Hyderabad. During interrogation, Vanmali reportedly confessed to his involvement in the drug-related crime.

This latest operation follows a significant drug bust earlier in the month, wherein the Mumbai Crime Branch dismantled a drug syndicate and confiscated a total of 8 kg of MD drugs with a street value of ₹16 crore.

The Mumbai Police, along with various specialized units, continue to proactively address drug-related issues and engage in efforts to curb the illegal drug trade in the city.