Mumbai: The Anti-Narcotic Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai crime branch arrested a 53-year-old woman and seized 7.200 kilograms of heroin worth Rs 21.60 crore. The police said the woman smuggled the drugs from two dealers based in Rajasthan. She alleged supplying the drugs to dealers and peddlers across Mumbai and its suburbs.
The Ghatkopar Unit of ANC had received information about Heroin being smuggled via railway and private bus to Mumbai from Pratapgarh and Chittorgarh in Rajasthan. The drug Heroin has a huge demand in Mumbai and is smuggled to peddlers. The information was shared with Datta Nalawade, deputy commissioner of police, ANC.
The Ghatkopar ANC team started the investigation to bust the racket of heroin being smuggled to Mumbai. However, Lata Sutar, senior police inspector, Ghatkopar Unit received information about a woman operating from the Sion Koliwada area and has a smuggling network.
The team further kept surveillance in the vicinity and with the help of technical details they arrested a woman on October 19. A woman was detained from Mhada Chawl footpath, a new transit camp, Wadala truck terminus, Sion Koliwada. The arrested woman was identified as Amina Hamza Shaikh alias Lali 53, a resident of Lallubhai Compound, Mankhurd.
"We have arrested her on October 19 and have found 7 kilo and 200 grams of Heroin from her possession worth Rs 21 crore and 60 lakhs. A case has been registered against her under sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act. Further investigation is going on," added Nalawade.
The police during the investigation found the heroin drugs were supplied from Deolali, Naugama, Pratapgarh in Rajasthan. "During the investigation, it found that she brought the drugs from two dealers based in Rajasthan. However, she supplied to customers and peddlers in and across Mumbai and its suburbs," said a police officer from ANC.
The police said the woman has a record and has been arrested previously for the same crime. "In August 2015 she was arrested by the Ghatkopar Unit of ANC with possession of 50 grams of Heroin. Also, In January 2018, she was arrested by the Worli Unit of ANC with possession of 25 grams of Heroin. A case was registered against her under the NDPS act," added Sutar.
Since January 2021, the Mumbai crime branch ANC has registered 8 cases and arrested around 9 people. Among the 9, the three are Rajasthan-based dealers. A total of 16 kilograms of Heroin is seized worth Rs 44 crore.
