Mumbai ANC Busts Family-Linked MD Racket; First Case Under Amended MCOCA

Mumbai: The Bandra unit of the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) has busted a family-linked MD drug racket, arresting Adnan Amir Shaikh and naming his aunt, Kainat Jabbar Qureshi, along with gang leader Jameer Ahmed Ansari alias Jameer Boka, as wanted accused. This case marks the first in Maharashtra where the revised Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) has been invoked against a drug trafficking network.

Arrest and Seizure

Adnan was arrested on August 7 under Sections 8(c) and 22(c) of the NDPS Act, 1985, after police seized 766 grams of mephedrone (MD) worth lakhs. He was remanded to police custody till August 11.

Role of Aunt and Kingpin

During interrogation, Adnan revealed that his aunt, Kainat Qureshi, procured MD from Jameer Boka, a Byculla resident with seven prior cases, and supplied the contraband in Bandra and Byculla. Both Boka and Kainat remain absconding.

Husband’s Arrest Kept Trade Alive

Investigations further showed that Kainat, a resident of Pathanwadi in Malad, roped in her nephew after her husband, Jabbar Qureshi—also an MD peddler—was earlier arrested under the NDPS Act. Together, they allegedly kept the illegal trade alive, distributing drugs across Mumbai.

New Law Brings Tougher Action

On July 10, 2025, the Maharashtra Assembly passed amendments to the MCOCA Act, officially notified on July 30, 2025, extending its applicability to drug syndicates. The revised provisions empower police to target organised narcotics networks as criminal enterprises.

First Case Under Amended MCOCA

Citing strong evidence of organised trafficking, police proposed adding MCOCA charges to the case. After approval from senior officers, Sections 3(1)(ii), 3(2), and 3(4) of MCOCA were applied against Adnan, Kainat, and Jameer Boka. This is the first-ever case under the amended MCOCA law in Maharashtra targeting a drug cartel.