NCB busts private drug lab in Mumbai, two arrested with drug haul, cash

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has busted a drug laboratory at Dongri in south Mumbai and seized 12kg of mephedrone or MD, and arrested two more suspects including a disk jockey (DJ), based on revelations made by notorious drugs dealer Parvez Khan alias Chinku Pathan, a relative of former Mumbai don late Abdul Karim Sher Khan alias Karim Lala. Khan was arrested by the agency from Navi Mumbai on Wednesday.

NCB also seized two pistols and ₹2.18 crore from the accused. The pistols have been sent for forensic analysis and the agency is also checking whether the accused have licenses for the weapons.

Following a tip-off, NCB officers apprehended Khan on Tuesday from his residence in Ghansoli in Navi Mumbai. After questioning him, the agency also arrested his associate Zakir Hussain Fazal Huk Shaikh. During the raid at Khan’s residence, the agency allegedly seized 2.9g of heroin and 52.2g of MD. During the search, NCB also recovered one 9mm blank pistol, said an NCB officer.

Khan was produced in the court on Thursday and has been remanded in NCB custody for six days.

After questioning Khan and based on the electronic evidence, the agency conducted a raid in Bhiwandi and arrested Rahul Kumar Verma, a DJ and rapper, said zonal director Sameer Wankhede of the NCB. During his interrogation, they learnt that Verma was one of the suppliers of MD to Khan, added Wankhede.

After Khan’s arrest and electronic evidence, a team of Mumbai zonal unit conducted a raid at his associate Arif Bhujwala’s residence at Noor Manzil building in Dongri on Wednesday evening, which continued till Thursday morning. During the raid, the agency recovered one automatic revolver and ₹21,825,600, added Wankhede.

Bhujwala allegedly operated a drug laboratory in the same Noor Manzil building, which was also busted. During the raid, the agency seized 5.69kg of MD, 1kg of methamphetamine and 6.126kg of ephedrine from the laboratory. Packing material, utensils, weighing machines and other apparatus used to manufacture illegal drugs from the lab were also seized, added Wankhede.

Bhujwala is wanted in the case, and NCB officers are trying to trace him. Khan and Bhujwala are suspected to be kingpins in drug trafficking networks operated by the underworld. They ran their illegal trade across Mumbai and surrounding areas, said Wankhede.