The officers of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have arrested one more person associated with the syndicate that was instrumental in trafficking of a large quantity of Mephedrone (MD) and have also seized cash Rs 1.93 crore, agency sources said on Wednesday. Total five persons have been arrested in the case.
The DRI officials on Tuesday had arrested four persons of the syndicate – Manish Bardawal, Ravindar Bardhawar, Mahesh Kharwa and Sultan Ahmed Abdul Latif Shaikh and had seized 16 kg of MD worth Rs 24 crore from them.
The seized cash | FPJ
On receipt of information that a huge quantity of MD is being carried by two persons named Ravi and Manish, travelling in a bus from Hyderabad to Mumbai they were apprehended by a DRI team near Vashi flyover Bus stop. They confirmed carrying 16 kg MD and that they were travelling together to supply Mephedrone from Hyderabad to Mumbai. The said narcotics substance was then seized by DRI officers.
Their interrogation further revealed that the said consignment was to be delivered to one Mahesh Kharwa who has specifically come to Mumbai, from Vadodara for taking the delivery of the contraband and was staying in a hotel near Mandvi. The DRI officers then nabbed Kharwa who told them that he was supposed to collect the delivery of 16 kgs of Mephedrone from Manish and Ravindar and further deliver it to one of his accomplice Sultan Ahmed Abdul Latif Shaikh.
Sultan Ahmed Abdul Latif Shaikh was then apprehended by DRI officers and he told them that he was supposed to collect the delivery of MD from Mahesh Kharva and further deliver it to one of his accomplice Kallu Bhai. “We have arrested one more person involved in this case and have also seized cash Rs 1.93 crore. Efforts are on to ascertain from where the accused had procured MD in Hyderabad and who was the end consumer,” said an official.
“It is clearly evident that an ingenious modus operandi is being adopted to smuggle contraband, narcotic and psychotropic substances by way of concealment in the backpack carried by the individual so that the same escapes the attention of the authorities and attempt to smuggle such drugs are thereby successfully carried out. This appears to be a case of illegal trafficking of drugs with an attempt to smuggle contraband which is prohibited,” said a DRI source.
