The Anti-Narcotics Cell of Thane Crime Branch has arrested three people, including a Nigerian national, and seized 661.8 grams of mephedrone (MD) along with 467 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup in two separate operations. The total value of the seized contraband is ₹67,12,377, police officials said.
In the first operation on January 12, the police arrested John James Francis, also known as Onah Chiedozie Ethelbert, a 45-year-old Nigerian national residing in Mumbai's Masjid Bunder area. He was caught near Riverwood Park, Desai Naka in Shildayghar, Thane, with 661.8 grams of mephedrone worth ₹66,18,000. Francis, who was released from jail in November 2024 after serving a six-year sentence in a previous narcotics case, has been remanded in police custody until January 17, told DCP Amar Singh Jadhav.
In a separate operation on January 9, the team arrested two men - Naushad Ansari Ahmad Sheikh (45) and Mohammad Taukir Farooq Ansari (24) - in Bhiwandi for possessing 467 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup worth ₹87,777. The seized items included 279 bottles of Altorex-CD and 188 bottles of RX Codimostar.
The arrests were made following directives from Thane Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre for stringent action against drug peddlers. One of the arrested suspects, Naushad Sheikh, has a previous narcotics case registered against him at Shantinagar Police Station.
The operation was carried out by the Anti-Narcotics Cell team led by Senior Police Inspector Rahul Maske, under the guidance of senior police officials. Investigators are now probing the source of the drugs and the possibility of more people involved in the trafficking network.