In a joint operation, the Anti-Narcotic Cell and Unit 3 of the Crime Branch arrested three persons and seized 2.5 kg of MD powder drugs worth Rs 2.5 crores. Police said that that drug was brought in to sell among youths during the New Year celebrations across Navi Mumbai and Mumbai.
The officials of the Crime Branch had received information that a man would deliver MD drug in Nere village on Thursday evening. Acting on the tip-off, Crime Branch officials laid a trap near Gajanan Temple at Nere village in New Panvel on Thursday evening around 5 pm.
According to a senior police official from the Crime Branch, a man in a car arrived at that place. “The man came out of the car with a blue colour plastic bag and was waiting for someone while leaning at his car,” said Shatrughan Mali, senior police inspector from the Crime Branch. He added that they waited around 15 minutes and found him suspicious.
The Police team who was already noticing his activity caught him and searched the plastic bag. During the search, police found white substances in the bag. Later, it was found contraband MD.
The person was identified as Kalim Rafiq Khamkar,39, a civil contractor by profession and resident of Panvel. The police seized 1 kg MD power worth Rs 1 crore from him.
During interrogation, he revealed that his two associates who were also arrested the same night and police seized another 1.5 kg MD power worth Rs 1.5 crores. They were identified as Jacy Afroz Pittu, 33, a resident of Panvel and Subhash Raghupati Patil, 40, a resident of Pen in Raigad district.
Commissioner of Police Bipin Kumar Singh said that the drugs seized were to be sold among youths during the New Year celebration.
They were preparing the drug in Alibaug which has been sealed and the police are investigating if there are more people involved in the racket.
A case has been registered against them at Panvel Taluka police station under sections 22 and 8 C of the NDPS Act 1985.
