ANUSHKA PATHAK – Mumbai Uncensored, 15 January 2022
The Mumbai Crime Branch seized a drug worth Rs 16.10 crore on Wednesday night (January 12, 2022) from SMD Road, Antop Hill. The police arrested three people in possession of the drug and all the three have been sent to the custody of the Crime Branch for further investigation.
Some sources say, neither of the three accused were aware of the exact value of the drug, and were going to sell it in the market at a negotiable price.
According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, three people were detained in Antop Hill. They were found to be in possession of 16 kg and 100 grams of drug Methaqualone worth Rs 16.10 crore.
Neelotpal, DCP Detection, Mumbai Crime Branch said, “The accused have been nabbed and further investigation is on to find the source and beneficiaries of the contraband.”
The three people arrested have been identified as Imran Jhalori, Amjad Khan and Asif Arab. They are residents of Antop Hill and live in the same building. They are daily wage earners.
The Crime Branch found that the contraband was stored in a godown and its owner passed away last year in November. The police declined to give more information about the godown owner as they are investigating how he came into possession of the drug. The godown was used to store mobile phone accessories and chargers, etc.
A police officer informed, “Jhalori used to work in the godown and was asked by the owner before his death to dispose off something that was kept in a packet. But he was not told that it was the drug”.
After the owner’s death, instead of disposing of the drug, Jhalori tried to find out what was in the packet and decided to sell it. “He may or may not have had an idea about the drug but he wasn’t aware about its actual value. He then contacted some drug dealers and finalized the price for Rs 5 lakh,” the officer added.
The police also found 48 kg worth of raw materials used for making synthetic drugs.
An FIR has been registered against the trio under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. All the accused were produced before the Killa Court and remanded in Mumbai Police Crime Branch custody till January 20.
