ATS seizes narcotics worth Rs 5.6 crore from Mumbai and Pune

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In a major drug bust, the Maharashtra Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) has seized 14.3 kg of the banned Mephedrone worth over Rs 5.60 crore and arrested two peddlers, official sources said here on Saturday.

Following a tip-off received by ATS Senior Police Inspector Daya Nayak about a drug deal likely to take place on Friday, a team laid a trap for them at the Madhuban Bar & Restaurant in Vile Parle East.

The two persons - later identified as Mahendra P. Patil (49) and Santosh B. Aadke (29) - arrived that afternoon carrying 2.10 kgs and 2.20 kgs of the drugs respectively in sky bags, for the deal, and the waiting team of sleuths recognized them from the description provided by an informer.

The ATS team swooped on them, caught them red-handed with the drugs consignment and whisked them off for investigations.

Upon interrogation, the duo - hailing from Kasegaon village in Sangli district - confessed another lot of 10 kg of Mephedrone, hidden in a godown in Pune, which has also been seized by the ATS.

The total consignment of 14.30 kgs drugs seizure from Mumbai and Pune is estimated to be worth more than Rs 5.60 crore in the market, said the sources.

The two accused have been booked under the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and a Sewree Court Magistrate has remanded them to seven days' police custody today.

The entire operation was supervised by ATS Additional DGP Deven Bharti, IGP Jayant Naiknavare, DCP Vikram Deshmane and ACT Shripad Kale, according to the sources.

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