Staff Reporter :
UNIT 4 of the Crime Branch raided a residential flat in Dighori and
seized 474 grams of Mephedrone
(MD), worth Rs 47.4 lakh and
arrested two persons in this connection.With this breakthrough,
the police have not only disrupted a major supply chain, but
also ignited a deeper investigation into inter-state narcotics
trafficking.
The action took place at
around 4.30 pm on Tuesday at
Flat No 202, Anand Sai Residency,
Sarvashree Nagar, Dighori which
is believed to be the residence of
the key accused, Dheeraj Shyam
Malik.
During the operation, police
arrested Dheeraj Shyam Malik
(31), a resident of Sweeper
Colony, Gangabai Ghat, who was
staying at the flat in Dighori.
Another accused, Shubham
Parasram Pendor (26), resident
of Shivaji Nagar, Gangabai Ghat,
has also been named in the case.
Pendor allegedly worked as a
supplier and distributing MD to
customers over the past two
months.
Along with the narcotics,
police seized a Nexon car (MH40/CH-2477), an Activa scooter
without a number plate and two
mobile phones. The total value
of the seizure is estimated at Rs
57.8 lakh.
According to police officials,
the origin of the MD traces back
to Rajasthan. The consignment
was first transported to Ujjain and
then brought to Nagpur.
Investigators suspect that the
drugs may have initially come
from Pakistan, smuggled across
the border into Rajasthan before
finding its way into Maharashtra Police have identified two
wanted accused in the case
Arpit Shukracharya Uke (27),
a resident of Indira Mata Nagar,
Vitabhatti Chowk under
Yashodhara Nagar Police limits and a person named Jilani
from Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
The
police believe that Uke played
a key role in bringing Dheeraj
Malik from Ujjain to Nagpur
for operating the MD supply
network.
A senior official from the
Crime Branch confirmed that
an intense manhunt is underway to nab the absconding
accused. “We are probing possible cross-border links. The
MD appears to have originated in Pakistan and was trafficked through Rajasthan into
central India. This could indicate a larger nexus involving
international drug cartels,” the
officer said.
The case was registered
under relevant sections of the
Narcotic Drugs and
Psychotropic Substances
(NDPS) Act and further investigations are in progress. Under
the guidance of CP Dr Ravinder
Kumar Singal, DCP Detection
Rahul Maknikar and ACP Dr
Abhijeet Patil, the arrest was
made by PI Kamlakar Gaddime
and his team.