In an intensive operation spearheaded by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to break the Mephedrone (MD) network, the police have apprehended seven drug peddlers, including two Nigerians and seized the banned drugs. The accused have been booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The arrest of actor Gaurav Dixit was a part of this special drive, wherein he was nabbed with MD, small quantity of charas and some tablets of MDMA/ Ecstasy from his house in Andheri West.
According to police officials, the drive was launched by the NCB on Thursday. Two officials had sustained injuries while conducting a raid in Navi Mumbai, an official said, adding that the team recovered a commercial quantity of MD from the accused.
In a series of six operations, the NCB rooted out drug peddlers. In the first operation on Thursday, NCB’s Mumbai Zonal Unit (MZU) intercepted a drug peddler Abu Sufyan Khan, a history-sheeter from Jogeshwari and recovered an intermediate quantity of MD from him. In another operation, two men, including a Nigerian, Jonhcen Maka, were arrested from Nalasopara. The police seized 57.3 grams of MD along with a small quantity of charas and ganja (cannabis) in Vasai and Nallasopara East. Maka is suspected to be a major supplier of MD in the area.
In another operation at Goregaon, Irfan Ikramuddin Khan was nabbed and the police seized 52 grams of MD. Meanwhile, in an operation conducted in Navi Mumbai’s Kharghar area, the NCB seized at least 55 grams of MD and a small quantity of ganja from Nigerian drug peddler Kingsley Ukwueza on the intermediate night of Thursday and Friday. During the raid, Ukwueza hid in a Nigerian community kitchen, wherein 50 compatriots charged at the NCB team, injuring two officials.
In the sixth operation, a team of NCB Mumbai seized 65 grams of MD (commercial quantity) on Friday at Mira Road and intercepted a man identified as Riyaaz Iqbal Tandel.
