Inter-state drug rackets active in Mumbai busted, ten arrested

Police today claimed to have busted inter-state drug rackets actively operating in the city with the arrest of 10 persons, including a Nigerian, on charges of possessing 24 kg of drugs worth Rs 27.54 lakh.

Police today claimed to have busted inter-state drug rackets actively operating in the city with the arrest of 10 persons, including a Nigerian, on charges of possessing 24 kg of drugs worth Rs 27.54 lakh.

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The recovery, made in the last one week in six different cases, includes 22.5 kg of Charas, 2.90 kg of Brown Sugar and 4.30 grams of Cocaine, worth Rs 2.70 crore in total in the international market.

“All 10 arrested are major drug peddlers operating in the city for the last few years. They were not arrested under narcotics charges earlier. The entire contraband was meant for the city consumption,” Joint Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria, who heads the Anti-Narcotics Cell, said.

In one case, the accused identified as Gulaam Rasul Khan (35) of Gujarat and Mohammed Arif Shaikh (32) of Uttar Pradesh were nabbed with 22 kg of Charas from Borivali, police said adding that they brought the drugs from Mugalsarai in UP to the city via road.

“The accused had been to the city several times. They had hidden the contraband in the bags carrying rice, wheat and jaggery to escape security checks,” Maria said.

As Mugalsarai city is located near the border of UP and Nepal, police suspect that the drugs might have been supplied from the neighbouring country.