Cleanliness drive leads to ‘Afghani charas’ worth ₹42 lakh in Alibaug beach

10 packets of charas, worth ₹42 lakh, were found during a cleanliness drive at Varsoli Beach in Alibaug. The packets are similar to those found earlier on Raigad beaches. A case has been registered under the NDPS Act.

Updated on: Oct 2, 2023, 07:08:06 IST

By G Mohiuddin Jeddy

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NAVI MUMBAI: The nationwide cleanliness drive on Sunday led to 10 packets of charas, 11.8 kg, worth ₹42 lakh at Varsoli Beach in Alibaug. According to the police, the packets are similar to the ‘Afghani Charas’ that had washed up on Raigad beaches in August and September.

The latest discovery was made when Dr Bharat Bastevad, CEO of Zilla Parishad in Raigad, and his team, along with various NGOs undertook a cleanliness drive at Varsoli beach at 9am.

“Some volunteers found 10 plastic packets in a nylon gunny bag along the beach. They felt suspicious about the content of the packets and hence informed Raigad police superintendent, who instructed us at Alibaug police to look into the matter,” Shirish Pawar, senior inspector, Alibaug police station. “The packets had pictures of eagles and snakes within a circle on them, along with ‘Afghan Product’ and ‘1,150 GM’ printed next to them. There was some Urdu script also printed on it.”

He added that the pouches were similar to those found with drugs on the beaches of Raigad at Shrivardhan, Revdanda, Aakshi, Ratnagiri and also in Gujarat earlier.

The police seized and registered a case at the Alibaug police station under the NDPS Act 1985 sections 8(C), 20 (B)(ii), 22(C).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
G Mohiuddin Jeddy
G. Mohiuddin Jeddy is a senior journalist with around three decades of experience across print and television. He has been with Hindustan Times for over two decades, covering Navi Mumbai, Panvel and Uran. His reporting focuses on civic affairs, politics, infrastructure, urban development, environment and other issues affecting residents. Before joining Hindustan Times, Jeddy worked with The Times of India and the Network18 Group, reporting for CNN-IBN/CNN-News18, CNBC Awaaz and IBN7/News18 India. He has chronicled Navi Mumbai’s political and urban transformation through extensive coverage of infrastructure, environmental issues, urban planning and civic administration. His public-interest reporting has highlighted civic concerns and prompted administrative action. His notable work includes breaking the “Hitler’s Cross” controversy in Kharghar and exclusive reporting on the Kenneth Haywood terror email investigation linked to the 2008 Ahmedabad blasts. Beyond the newsroom, Jeddy enjoys reading almost anything he can get his hands on—from news, current affairs and books to the occasional restaurant menu—with a keen interest in national and global politics. He also enjoys travelling to new places, exploring authentic regional cuisine at local eateries, and watching documentaries as well as crime, political, thriller and espionage films and series.Read More