Three arrested with 22kg charas worth ₹2 crore in Mumbai

One of the three accused concealed drugs in specially-made cavity of car and drove it from Kashmir to Mumbai to supply it to a distributor

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Saturday arrested three people, including a man from Kashmir, and seized 21.5kg of high-quality charas, worth Rs2 crore.

The three were arrested on Saturday. (HT File)

One of the three accused had concealed the drugs in the specially-made cavity of a car and had driven it from Kashmir to supply it to a drug distributor in Mumbai.

The NCB officials of the Mumbai zone had received reliable information that one person would come to Mumbai in a hatchback car to supply it to someone here.

“Following the information on Saturday, we laid a trap at Andheri, where the supplier was supposed to deliver drugs to two receivers. The car was intercepted and two people seated in the car were detained. On examining the car, NCB officials found that special cavities were made to conceal the drugs. Around 19.5kg charas was seized from the car. The car has also been seized and information about its owner is being collected,” said an NCB official.

Since prima facie probe revealed the involvement of only one of the two detainees, the driver was arrested, the officer said, adding that the arrested accused hails from Kashmir. He led NCB officials to two other receivers of the drugs. Both, aged 32 and 44 years, were arrested. The interrogation of the three led the NCB officials to the place of the kingpin of the racket in Mumbai.

From there police recovered more 2.5kgs of charas, but the kingpin managed to escaped.

The names of the accused are withheld by the NCB as more people are on their radar.

The total value of the seized drugs is estimated to be around Rs2crore in international markets, police sources have said.

NCB is also probing the financial aspect of the racket and trying to trace the money trail. Investigators are checking if there is any hawala angle to the racket.

“The arrested accused have not revealed much. They claim that they were following instructions for some fixed commission. The man from Kashmir told interrogators he was called at a place and was given the consignment to deliver the charas to a person in Mumbai. He has been changing his versions during probe,” said an official.

It has been ascertained from their questioning that the contraband seized was meant for further distribution and consumption in Mumbai through small peddlers.