Kashmiri hashish worth Rs 1.04 crore seized in Mumbai, six arrested

Six people have been arrested by Mumbai Police’s Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) in a major crackdown on drug trafficking in the city. The accused, including a tailor by profession, are said to be involved in the supply and distribution of contraband across Mumbai.

The crackdown led to the recovery of 2.6 kilograms of high-quality Kashmiri charas (hashish) valued at approximately Rs 1.04 crore and 120 grams of MD (mephedrone) along with Rs 22 lakh in cash. The charas were seized from Byculla East, while MD (Mephedrone) worth Rs 47 lakh was seized from the Mahim area.

The ANC-Crime Branch’s Bandra unit, acting on a tip-off, uncovered an interstate gang involved in the drug racket. The police found the contraband during patrolling in Byculla. The Bandra unit of the anti-drug cell found two suspicious persons in possession of 1.800 kilograms of Kashmiri charas. Further probes led to the third person linked to the operation, and additional contraband was confiscated.

Meanwhile, the Azad Maidan unit targeted the Mahim area, seizing MD worth Rs 47 lakh along with cash and a scooter. The total value of the seized drugs and assets amounted to Rs 1.51 crore.

Among the arrested individuals is a resident of Anantnag in Kashmir, indicating an interstate drug network.

The prime accused, Haji Abdul Rehman, who has a couple of drug cases against him already, employed a covert method of transporting the charas by concealing them within bags of walnuts. This tactic allowed the gang to bring the illegal substances from Jammu and Kashmir and distribute them within the city.

Previously, Rehman was alleged to have been involved in the seizure of a commercial quantity of 55 kilograms of contraband in South Mumbai’s Worli area.

Two other accused, Sartaj Ahmed Mumtaz Ansari and a tailor named Kailash Kanojia, have also been identified as members of the interstate gang and have been taken into police custody. All six accused have been remanded to police custody and booked under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.