In a major crackdown on the drug trade in the city, the Special Security Branch (SSB) and Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) team of Nagpur Crime Branch on Friday arrested six individuals and seized a large quantity of banned narcotics in a late-night raid in Dhantoli. The police recovered over 100 grams of mephedrone (MD), along with cash, vehicles, and drug-related items worth a total of ?15.61 lakh. One suspect remains absconding.
Based on a confidential tip-off, the joint team conducted a raid between 2:20 am and 6:30 am at a flat on the third floor of Shri Pooja Apartment near Chhatrapati Chowk. The information revealed that a group of peddlers were scheduled to assemble at the location to distribute MD drugs. The police acted swiftly and raided the premises under the provisions of the NDPS Act.
The arrested accused have been identified as Rahul alias Chill Shankar Lepse (24), a resident of Sainagar, Dighori Naka; Akshay alias Akki Rameshrao Vinchurkar (33), from Govind Prabhu Nagar, Hudkeshwar; Arif Samad Shaikh (32), from Kamgar Nagar, Kabrastan Road; Sanchit Arun Ghodevai (46), from Raj Central Access Colony; Sarang Murlidhar Chaudhary (26), from Ganeshpeth; and Vinayak Dnyaneshwar Deshmukh (32), from Pandey Layout, Khamla.
One accused, Irshad, a resident of Mira Road in Mumbai, managed to flee before the raid and is currently on the run. Police have launched a search to apprehend him.
The items seized during the operation include 109 grams of MD powder, syringes and other drug consumption tools, ?1.40 lakh in cash, 11 mobile phones, one car, and five two-wheelers. The total value of the seized material is estimated at ?15,61,000.
A case has been registered at Dhantoli Police Station under Sections 8(c), 22(c), 25, and 29 of the NDPS Act, 1985. The operation was led by PI Rahul Shire and PI Gajanan Gulhane, with assistance from API Shivaji Nanaware, HC Vivek Adhav, NPC Sheshrao Raut, and police constables Ashwin Mange, Kunal Masram, and Sameer Sheikh.
Further investigations are ongoing to trace the source of the drugs and expose the wider network involved in the supply and distribution of narcotics in Nagpur.
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