The Unit two of Crime Branch of Navi Mumbai police arrested two persons and seized 200 kg marijuana (ganja) worth Rs 30 lakh last week. The contraband was being taken to Mumbai for delivery when the police caught and seized it. The car was also seized.
A police constable from the crime branch had received the tip-off that two people would transport marijuana to Mumbai. Based on the information, the sleuths from the crime branch laid a trap along the Mumbai-Pune highway. The contraband was to be transported to Mumbai from Tembhuni village in Panvel via Mumbai-Pune highway.
Near Panvel of the highway, the car was traced and police stopped them. When they check the car, they found 10 sacks of 20 kg each of marijuana. “The sacks were put under the seat and the cost in the market is around Rs 30,000,00,” said an official from the Crime Branch.
Both the driver of the car and his accomplice were arrested. They were identified Ashutosh Anant Pature, 21, a resident of Andheri West, and Asif Abdul Menon, 26, a resident of Borivali in Mumbai. “We also seized the car and cash from them. The total seizure along with the contraband is Rs 35 lakh,” said the official.
On Sunday, the narcotics control bureau (NCB), Mumbai arrested a 32-year-old Nigerian national with 200 grams of mephedrone at Kharghar on Sunday. The value of the narcotic would be around Rs 20 lakh, the police said. Based on the information, a foreign national was arrested from Kharghar with the contraband.
