Mumbai Crime Branch recovers drugs worth Rs 30 lakh, two held

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The Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai Crime Branch arrested two drug peddlers from the Ghatkopar area and recovered MD drugs worth Rs 30 lakh on Wednesday. The drugs were seized by the Worli unit of ANC, reported news agency ANI.

"Mumbai Crime Branch arrested two drug peddlers and recovered drugs worth Rs 30 lakhs from Ghatkopar area. The police registered a case against both of them under the NDPS Act and presented them in court, where the court sent them to police custody till December 14. Further investigation underway," Mumbai Crime Branch police said, reported ANI.

According to Mumbai police, the Worli Unit of Anti Narcotics Cell was patrolling near Ghatkopar station, when two persons were seen moving suspiciously. When the police searched both of them, MD drugs were recovered from them. Its price is Rs 30 lakh in the international market, reported ANI.

The police registered a case against both of them under the NDPS Act and presented them in court. The court sent them to police custody till December 14, reported ANI.

The police are conducting an investigation.

In another case, the Mumbai police have arrested the alleged kingpin of an inter-state drug syndicate and his aide from Odisha in connection with a two-year-old case in which ganja worth Rs 3.85 crore was seized in the metropolis, an official said, reported PTI.

The Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai crime branch arrested the alleged kingpin, Laxmikant alias Laxmibhai Pradhan, and his aide Bidyadhar Pradhan, both facing other criminal cases, from Golanthara in Odisha's Ganjam district on Saturday, he said, reported PTI.

With this, the police have so far arrested five persons in connection with the drug seizure case, the official said on Tuesday, reported PTI.

The ANC's Ghatkopar unit busted an interstate drug syndicate by arresting three persons with ganja (marijuana) weighing 1,820 kg and valued at Rs 3.85 crore in December 2021, reported PTI.

During investigation, it was revealed the contraband was procured from Odisha, reported PTI.

An offence under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was registered against them, reported PTI.

The police identified the kingpin of the syndicate and launched a search for him in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. He was found to be moving in different cities of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to evade arrest, said the official, reported PTI.

After months of search, officials of the ANC's Ghatkopar unit got a specific tip-off that Laxmibhai Pradhan and his aide Bidyadhar were in Odisha, reported PTI.

Accordingly, a team was dispatched from Mumbai to the eastern state and the duo was nabbed, the official said, reported PTI.

Both were brought to Mumbai on transit remand, reported PTI.

An in-depth investigation was underway to trace other members of the syndicate, he said, reported PTI.

Laxmibhai Pradhan has several criminal cases pending against him, including murder and those under the Arms Act, in different parts of Odisha. Bidyadhar Pradhan, too, faces three criminal cases, the official said, reported PTI.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)