Drug bust: NCB nabs three from Mumbai’s Dongri, seizes mephedrone worth Rs 50 cr

Mumbai: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has busted a drug trafficking racket by arresting three persons here and recovering 20 kg of mephedrone, worth Rs 50 crore, cash and gold ornaments in search operations, an official said on Saturday.

The NCB's Mumbai zonal unit had received information about a drug syndicate operating out of Dongri area, involved in trafficking and distributing mephedrone in various parts of the city, the official said.

The agency mounted surveillance on one N Khan and it received a tip-off about the presence of a large quantity of the contraband at his accommodation in Dongri, he said.

The NCB team laid a trap near Khan's accommodation on Friday and intercepted his associate A Ali, who 3 kg of mephedrone in his possession, the official said.

A search carried out at Khan's house resulted in the recovery of two more kilograms of mephedrone, he said.

During spot interrogation, Khan revealed that he had procured the contraband from a woman identified as A F Shaikh who was from the locality, the official said.

On confirming her location, another NCB team raided the woman's house and found 15 kg of mephedrone hidden in the premises, he said.

Apart from the drugs, more than Rs 1.10 crore cash and 186.6 gm gold jewellery were also recovered from the woman's house, the official said.

On questioning, the woman accused admitted that the cash was proceeds from the sale of drugs, he said.

In all, the agency seized 20 kg of mephedrone, worth Rs 50 crore, in the operation on Friday, the official said.

A probe has revealed that the trio has been involved in illicit drug trade since the last seven to 10 years, and the woman accused had networks across many cities and she dealt in bulk quantity of drugs worth crores, he said.

The woman had also setup a company to serve as a front to the drug business and its financial transactions, the official said.

Some members of the racket have cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to their name and an investigation has been launched to trace the remaining associates of the syndicate.