Cops seize charas worth Rs 44 lakh, arrest four

 Mumbai:

The Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai Police has seized 55 kg of charas worth Rs 44 lakh and arrested five persons for their alleged involvement in drug peddling. According to ANC sleuths, the accused procured contraband from Jammu & Kashmir and brought it in a Tata Indigo car that was specially designed with some cavities to conceal the drugs. Acting on a tip-off, the Worli unit of ANC conducted raids near Masina Hospital on the Western Express Highway and in Oshiwara on December 10 and 11.

“ We carried out three raids and seized 55 kg of charas worth around Rs 44 lakh. One Salim Shaikh alias Salim Tension (55) is the major player in drug business,” said Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Deven Bharti.

The four arrested have been identified as Parshuram Bodke (56), Afaq Umar (40), Tariq Shaikh (28) and Mohammad Hussain alias Langda (38), said the police.

The police claimed that the gang used to buy the contraband from Srinagar and bring it to Mumbai.

“Shaikh has a narcotic case against him registered in 2006. They must have brought the drugs to the city to distribute them before New Year eve celebations, when narcotics are consumed in large quantities,” said Bharti.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (ANC) Sunil Paraskar said, “This year, we have seized 1,878 kg of drugs worth Rs 5 crore in the international market. Around 256 drug peddlers have been booked this year.”

“We have registered 22 cases last month and arrested 30 persons for drug peddling. Also, we have seized drugs worth Rs 60.5 lakh also in the last month,” Paraskar added.

(The Indian Express, 16 December 2009)