Mumbai's MIDC police have arrested two men for allegedly possessing and attempting to sell 1.896 kg of hydroponic cannabis worth Rs 66.36 lakh in Andheri East.
The accused, identified as Omkar Rajendra Pawar, 28, and Piyush Madhukar Ghongade, 22, were apprehended near JK Industrial Estate on Paper Box Road on Thursday, police said.
According to the police, a team led by Sub-Inspector Ranjit Gondakuppe and the anti-narcotics squad was patrolling the MIDC police station limits at around 7.50 pm when they spotted the two men behaving suspiciously.
One of them was allegedly attempting to conceal a red plastic bag. When the police questioned the duo about their presence at the location, they initially gave evasive replies. During further questioning, they allegedly admitted to possessing hydroponic cannabis.
The police searched the accused and the red plastic bag carried by Pawar after following the procedures prescribed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. They recovered 1.896 kg of hydroponic cannabis, valued at approximately Rs 66.36 lakh, from the bag.
The police said the preliminary investigation revealed that the accused had travelled from Satara district to Mumbai to sell the contraband.
A case has been registered at MIDC police station under Sections 8(c), 20(b) and 29 of the NDPS Act. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the source of the drugs and identify other persons involved in the alleged trafficking network.
Mumbai drug syndicate under probe: ED raids 11 premises in Maharashtra, Gujarat
In a separate case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted searches at 11 premises across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Surat and Bhavnagar in connection with an alleged international narcotics syndicate headed by Navin Chichkar, Dhiraj Chichkar and their associates. The agency is probing the alleged laundering of proceeds generated through drug trafficking and their suspected routing into the formal financial system.
The searches were carried out by the ED's Mumbai Zonal Office-I on Wednesday under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The operation aimed to trace the alleged drug trafficking network, identify proceeds of crime and investigate how money generated through the illegal trade was allegedly laundered.
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