Maharashtra: Nigerian held with cocaine, MD worth Rs 57.5 lakh in Palghar

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A Nigerian national was arrested with cocaine and mephedrone worth Rs 57.5 lakh in Maharashtra's Palghar district on Friday, police said, reported the PTI.

Based on a tip-off, the police raided a residential building in the Pragati Nagar area of Nalasopara in Vasai and apprehended the accused, Eze Francis Ana, 44, an official from Tulinj police station said, according to the PTI.

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At least 133 gm of cocaine worth Rs 13.3 lakh and 442 gm of mephedrone (MD) worth Rs 44.2 lakh were seized in the raid, he said.

A case under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered against the accused, and a probe is underway to find out where the contraband was sourced from.

Meanwhile, in an another incident, The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) team of Mumbai zonal unit intercepted one vehicle near Kanhur Mesai, Tal-Shirur, in the Pune district. On close examination of the contents of the vehicle, suspicious powder and some lab equipment were noticed.

In follow-up action, a clandestine manufacturing unit was found in Midgulwadi, in Pune district. On examination of this clandestine lab, 173.34 kg of alprazolam was found along with a huge stock of raw material required for alprazolam manufacturing. The clandestine lab contained state-of-the-art equipment, reactors, generators, driers etc.

In further follow-up action, another clandestine manufacturing unit was found near Narayangaon, Tal-Ambegaon, in the Pune district. Upon search, 25.95 kgs of alprazolam was found along with a huge stock of raw material. Both the clandestine labs were built in the inaccessible area where it was difficult to reach by vehicle. It was found that both these clandestine labs were run by the same drug syndicate.

One person, who runs a toddy shop in Manchar, went for the sale of a consignment of illegally manufactured alprazolam to Hyderabad and was arrested.

The illegally manufactured alprazolam was sold in Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, especially for making illegal todyy. The alprazolam is used to increase the potency of toddy artificially and also to manufacture artificial toddy. Such adulterated toddy is extremely injurious to health. There is a huge market and consumer base, especially among lower strata of society in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

(with PTI inputs)