In a major blow to the city’s drug trade, police seized 7.5 kg of mephedrone (MD) worth an estimated Rs 2.25 crore from a rented apartment in Uppalwadi on Sunday. The investigators believe that the accused was a key link in a wider drug supply network operating in Nagpur and nearby districts. The accused, identified as Majhar Ali Akbar Ali Patel (35) of Azad Nagar, Nai Vasti, Teka, was arrested during a joint operation conducted by teams from Jaripatka and Kapil Nagar police stations. Police said the action was taken under the guidance of Commissioner of Police Dr Ravinder Kumar Singal, Joint Commissioner Navinchandra Reddy and DCP Zone VI Dr Sandip Pakhale.

 

The raid was carried out after API Morkhede of Jaripatka Police Station received specific information about a large consignment of drugs being stored in a rented flat in Uppalwadi. Acting swiftly, police teams raided the premises and recovered 7.5 kg of mephedrone packed in 14 separate packets. As per Narcotics Control Bureau guidelines, the seized contraband is valued at around Rs 30 lakh per kilogram, taking its total estimated worth to Rs 2.25 crore. During questioning, Ali allegedly told investigators that the drugs had been transported to Nagpur from three districts of Uttar Pradesh using train and bus routes. Police said the couriers often covered their faces with cloth to conceal their identities while moving the narcotics. According to investigators, the consignment was meant to be distributed among seven contacts, including four in Nagpur city and three in rural parts of the district. Police suspect Ali was acting as a middleman in a larger trafficking network. Though Ali lived with his family in Azad Nagar, he had rented the Uppalwadi flat separately. Police believe the flat was being used to store drug consignments.

 

He was also working as an Ola-Uber driver and reportedly parked his vehicle away from the area before walking to the flat to avoid attracting attention. However, his frequent movements with suspicious packets caught the attention of police informers, leading to the tip-off that ultimately resulted in the raid. Preliminary investigations indicate that Ali may have supplied mephedrone in Nagpur and neighbouring districts on at least three or four earlier occasions. A case has been registered at Jaripatka police station under the NDPS Act. Police are now working to trace the source of the drugs and identify other members of the network involved in the supply chain. Further investigation is underway.