Navi Mumbai: The Anti-Narcotics Cell of Navi Mumbai Police has busted a drug trafficking racket operating under the cover of a scrap business and arrested seven persons in connection with the case. Acting on a tip-off, police raided a hut located near the railway tracks in Nerul and seized heroin and ganja collectively worth Rs 22 lakh.
Midday Operation
According to police, information was received that a man identified as Raju Rathod was allegedly selling narcotic substances under the pretext of running a scrap business near the railway tracks in Sector 28, Nerul, with the help of his relatives. Based on this input, a team led by Senior Police Inspector Sandeep Nigade, comprising four police officers and 15 personnel, conducted a raid at around 12.30 pm on Wednesday at the suspected hut along the railway line.
During the search, police recovered 43.6 grams of heroin and 26 grams of ganja valued at Rs 22 lakh from the premises. The contraband was seized and seven accused were taken into custody.
Seven Arrested Including Main Accused Raju Rathod
The arrested accused have been identified as Rakesh Sachin Waghri (18), Rajendra Bhima Kale (55), Anita Sanjay Pawar (29), Raju Babu Rathod (28), Shivram Laxman Pawar (32), Kamalabai Babu Rathod (55), and Suman Raju Rathod (25). A case has been registered against them under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Nerul police station.
Police said that the main accused, Raju Rathod, is a history-sheeter with previous cases of assault and theft/house-breaking registered against him at Nerul police station. It was also found that his scrap shop was operating on an unauthorized plot. The police have written to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation seeking immediate demolition of the illegal structure.
Meanwhile, two other accused, identified as Vishal and Ganga Kale, are absconding and a search is underway to trace them.
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