In five different raids this week, the Mumbai Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) has seized around one tonne of drugs worth around Rs.1 crore and made 19 arrests. A truck and a car used to transport the stock were also confiscated.
Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, Sunil Paraskar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), ANC, said five persons from Andhra Pradesh, Ramesh Shanka Ayya, Bhikshapati Ramaswami Bonagani, Ramanna Balchori Madanu, Jayyappa Ramlu Dabu and Veeranna Samyya Azmera, were arrested on Tuesday while conveying 900 kg. ganja (cannabis) from Orissa to Mumbai in a truck. The stock worth Rs. 27 lakh was stored in 42 gunny bags and covered with coir and black sheets.
In a drug trail that leads to Jammu and Kashmir, the ANC arrested Abdul Rehman alias Haji Ali Mohammad Hakim, hailing from J&K, along with 10 others, who are residents of Mumbai and Thane. Charas weighing 79 kg. and 50 gm. and worth Rs. 63 lakh was seized from them at Jogeshwari and Parel in Mumbai, Mr. Paraskar said.
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A total of 30 gm. of cocaine costing Rs. 1 lakh was recovered from Nigerian nationals James Chiya Fank, Fidilees Onora Jaydofor and Osundoo Dontun Chikdokeve from two different locations of Khar and Masjid Bunder in Mumbai. All the accused, belonging to three organised gangs, have been remanded to police custody. Mr. Paraskar said no cross-border link has emerged, but its possibility could not be ruled out. The police have booked cases under various sections of the Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances Act.