Bhayandar: Stepping up their offensive against the drug mafia, sleuths of the Thane (rural) police busted yet another cartel on Friday. While four peddlers were arrested, the police also seized a consignment of drugs worth more than Rs 2.89 crore. Acting on a specific tip-off, a team led by Sub Division Police Officer Atul Kulkarni under the instructions of SP Dr Shivaji Rathod laid a trap and apprehended a peddler identified as Ishwar Umrao Singh from Bhayandar (w). After rounds of sustained interrogations, his accomplices – Rahul Gokul Singh Meena (21), Shambhu Rodulal Solanki (21) – both natives of Madhya Pradesh and Mukesh Kumar Kanhaiya Dholi (30), a resident of Gangdhar village in Rajasthan were held from Kashimira. The trio were found to be in possession of 70 kilograms of Doda (Morphine).
The estimated market value of the seized contraband is said to be 2,89,65,200 crore. The police have also seized a Bolero jeep which was used to ferry the contraband. This is the third major seizure by the Thane (rural) police in the past less than three months. Sending chills down the spines of the drug mafia, police had nabbed four people and seized narcotics worth around Rs 3.60 crore in two different cases in March this year. The investigating team is checking the antecedents of the accused and also trying to ascertain the source and destination of the consignment. Meanwhile, a case under the relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered against the quartet who have been remanded to police custody till May 30. after they were produced before the District Sessions Court, Thane on Saturday.
