Two men from Gujarat held by Mumbai Police with charas worth Rs 10 cr

A Mumbai police official on Monday said that two persons hailing from Gujarat have been arrested allegedly with charas worth Rs 10 crore, reported news agency PTI.

Raheem Majid Sheikh (30) and Shantilal Tandel (32), residents of Valsad in the neighbouring state, were held on Saturday, the Chunabhatti police station official said, reported PTI.

“We found Sheikh moving about in a suspicious manner. When his belongings were searched, we found 1.9 kilograms of charas worth Rs 1.90 crore. He informed us about Tandel. We reached Valsad and seized Afghan charas worth Rs 8.10 crore,” he said, reported PTI.

The two have been arrested under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the official added.

Cocaine valued at over Rs 22 crore seized in Thane; three held

In another incident, the police have seized nearly 15 kg of cocaine, valued at over Rs 22 crore, in Maharashtra`s Thane district and arrested three persons, including two foreign nationals, an official said on April 17, reported PTI.

Acting on a tip, the Mira Bhayander Vasai Virar police on April 15 arrested a woman, identified as Shabina Nazeer Shaikh (42), and recovered 11.8 kg of cocaine, valued at Rs 17.74 crore, from her, said Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime) Madan Ballal, reported PTI.

“The first arrest led us deeper into the supply chain,” ACP Ballal said.

Shaikh told police that the drugs were supplied to her by a Nigerian national, identified as Andy Ubabudike Onyinse (45), living in Mira Road East. Police subsequently arrested him, recovering 2.608 kg of cocaine, valued at Rs 3.9 crore.

“Further questioning of the Nigerian national led us to another key player in the network. We arrested a 32-year-old woman from Cameroon, Christabel Enjei, residing in Vasai East, and recovered 433.2 grams of cocaine worth Rs 64.98 lakh from her possession,” the official said, reported PTI.

Senior inspector Pramod Badakh of Crime Branch Unit-I, Kashimira, said they have also recovered Rs 2.84 lakh in foreign currency and Indian rupees.

“We are now investigating the larger network – where the contraband originated from and who the intended buyers were. More arrests are likely as the probe progresses,” ACP Ballal added.

(With inputs from PTI)