A 29-year-old man has been arrested for alleged possession of more than 1 kg of hashish worth Rs 1.1 crore in Maharashtra`s Thane district, police said on Saturday, reported news agency PTI.

Acting on a tip-off, the anti-narcotics squad laid a trap on the Shilphata-Mumbra Road on September 14 and intercepted the accused, Masud Badbuddin Ainarkar, senior inspector Rahul Maske said, reported PTI.

He said Ainarkar, a native of Ratnagiri, was found with the contraband, allegedly meant for sale, reported PTI.

A case was registered against the accused under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, and he has been remanded in police custody till September 23, he said.

“Preliminary investigations suggest that the hashish may have been smuggled from abroad. The accused is being interrogated to determine the source and intended distribution network,” the official added, reported PTI.

Passenger held with methaqualone worth Rs 2.61 cr at Pune airport

In another case, the Customs department has arrested a passenger for alleged possession of methaqualone worth Rs 2.61 crore at the international airport in Pune, an official said on Friday, reported PTI.

The passenger, who had travelled on an Air India Express flight from Bangkok, Thailand, was caught on Friday, the official said.

“We received intel about a passenger in possession of drugs. We intercepted him and found a crystal-like substance in his checked-in baggage. A field test confirmed that it was methaqualone, worth Rs 2.61 crore in the illicit market,” said a senior officer from the customs department, reported PTI.

The accused has been arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, he said.

One more arrested in Rs 75.2 lakh mephedrone seizure case in Thane

Meanwhile, police in Maharashtra`s Thane district have arrested one more person in connection with the seizure of mephedrone worth Rs 75.2 lakh smuggled through the Rajasthan-Madhya Pradesh border, an official said on Friday, reported PTI.

The crime branch arrested the accused, Kuldeepsingh Parihar, on September 12 from the Kalwa area, and a search has been launched for his absconding associate, the official said, reported PTI.

Senior inspector Sachin Gaikwad said the crime branch had seized 501.5 gm of mephedrone from a car at the Kharigaon toll naka on September 9 and arrested the driver, Sureshsingh Gangasingh Tanwar (35), who hailed from Ratlam in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, reported PTI.

A case under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was registered, and during interrogation, Tanwar revealed that he had smuggled the contraband with the help of his associates, Kuldeepsingh Parihar and Abhishek Jaiswal, he said.

The official said that the narcotics were transported across the Rajasthan-Madhya Pradesh border for illegal trade and sale in Maharashtra.

(With inputs from PTI)

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