Three held after car displaying ‘POLICE’ plate found with MD drugs worth Rs 1.08 lakh in Dongri

The operation was conducted under the guidance of senior police officers. Pic/Special Arrangement

Dongri Police in Mumbai have arrested three men after allegedly recovering 7.2 grams of mephedrone, commonly known as MD, worth around Rs 1.08 lakh from a private car displaying a ‘POLICE' plate in south Mumbai, officials said.

The police are investigating the alleged drug supply chain and the reason the private vehicle was carrying the plate.

The action took place on August 8 when a team from Dongri Police Station was patrolling the Wadi Bandar area.

According to the police, at around 2.50 pm, officers spotted a suspicious four-wheeler bearing registration number MH-43-CC-3277 parked near Sunni Masjid Bridge on S V P Road.

Two occupants inside the vehicle were allegedly behaving suspiciously. Police searched the car in the presence of panch witnesses and allegedly recovered 3.4 grams of MD from Zamir Siddiq Syed, 26, and another 3.8 grams from Somnath Sharad Mahajan, 30, the officials said.

Third suspect held

According to police, the two men allegedly told investigators during preliminary questioning that they had purchased the drug from Mohammed Zeeshan Afser Syed, 29.

Police subsequently traced and arrested Zeeshan in connection with the case.

The seized 7.2 grams of mephedrone has an estimated value of Rs 1.08 lakh, officials said.

Probe into drug supply network

Dongri Police have registered a case under Sections 8(c) and 22(b) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, along with Section 205 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

Investigators are now trying to establish the source of the alleged MD supply and trace other people who may be connected to the distribution network.

Police are also examining the financial trail linked to the alleged transaction and checking whether others were involved.

‘POLICE' plate under scanner

The private vehicle's use of a ‘POLICE' plate has also become an important part of the investigation.

Officers are seeking to determine whether the plate was allegedly being used to create an impression of official authority or for another purpose.

The operation was conducted under the guidance of senior police officers and Dongri Senior Police Inspector Sagar Tilekar.