Mumbai: Narcotics Control Bureau busts major inter-state drug network; five held

The Mumbai zonal unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau NCB on Wednesday said that it has busted a major interstate drug network and arrested five people in connection with the caseIn a statement the NCB said in a well coordinated and meticulously executed operation NCBMumbai has successfully neutralized an interstate drug syndicate The syndicate was actively involved in illicit diversion of certain prescription drugs which are covered under NDPS Act1985 for a considerable period In this operation 3195 CBCS bottles were seized and 7 persons arrested so far Few vehicles and other incriminating documents have also been seizedIt said Initially information was received from sources which indicated the active illegal sale of CBCS bottles along with other prescription drugs in Mumbai Thane and adjoining areas Consequently an enquiry was initiated to trace out the network which led to identification of a Bhiwandi based person named Imran Aslam Devkar who was procuring consignments of such illegally diverted prescription drugs and sold to street level peddlers Gradually intelligence was further gathered about his locations and his modus operandi In the meantime information was received wherein it was learnt that a Surat based person named Ankil Jagdishchandra Kholwadwala was supplying the consignments to Imran AD Thereafter a discreet vigil was maintained upon the persons which resulted in identification of other key associates of the networkThe NCB further said a few days back information was analysed wherein Ankil JK was scheming a plan to transport a huge quantity of drugs to the Imran by road Accordingly surveillance was mounted on the key persons On March 27 confirmed information was received wherein Ankil JK had arranged a transporter named Fakruddin Momin for supply of drugs to Imran AD Immediately the field unit of NCBMumbai set out for final operational sketch while intelligence affirmed that transporter Fakruddin M would cross over into Maharashtra between March 27 to March 28 while Ankil JK was to arrive in morning trailing the transporter to receive the payment from Imran ADIt said After intensive field work and analysis the driver Fakruddin M was traced and identified Consequently the NCB field unit set up a layout around Bhiwandi Wada Thane On March 28 the vehicle arrived in the area and after positive confirmation it was intercepted During preliminary questioning the documents shown by them looked fake and upon search 32 cartons containing 3195 CBCS bottles were recovered Upon further on field questioning they stated that the consignment was supplied by Surat based Ankil JK and destined to Bhiwandi Wada based person However in a twist in the matter during the on field questioning a local accomplice of Imran AD named Girdhar Shivram Chatury identified the NCBMumbai team and informed Imran about the presence of NCB team in the area This red flag information was passed on by Imran who informed Ankil after which Ankil turned back his vehicle to Surat and then Imran fled the area This development was shortly analysed by NCB team but instead of retreating the position officers of NCB planned to apprehend Girdhar SC urgently who was anticipated to know the hideout location of Imran for which officers of NCB sought assistance from Thane Rural policeAlso Read Mumbai Metro Railway station construction at Dadar traffic diversions issuedThe Thane Police officials efficiently gave all out effort which resulted in apprehension of Girdhar SC in a short while When he was questioned he mentioned that due to heightened vigil and recent back to back seizures by NCBMumbai Imran had deputed him to track NCB for which he had gathered information about officials of NCBMumbai due to which he identified the team He further agreed to show the location of Imran to the NCB team and shortly after a small field team apprehended Imran Meanwhile while Ankil JK was enroute back to Surat he was also tracked down and apprehended in Manor Palghar the NCB saidBased on revelations made by Ankil his father Jagdishchandra Bhogilal Kholwadwala who were associated with illicit drug trafficking have been apprehended in this connection Further during questioning Ankil JK the Surat based supplier disclosed that a consignment of illicitly diverted drugs was in transit from Mohali Punjab to Surat which was also slated to be transported to Imran AD and other peddlers The mentioned consignment was identified to be containing 3500 CBCS bottles and steps were taken to intercept the consignment The NCB saidThe central agency said The network was active for the past few months wherein both Ankil JK and Imran AD were active for the past 45 years Ankil JK is MDPhysician and has a medical facility in Surat and has set up a firm for procurement of such drugs from manufacturing units based in North India Imran AD was also previously involved in street level peddling in Mumbai and adjoining areas He came into contact with Ankil JK who motivated him to work as receiver cum distributor After a period of this illicit drug business Ankil JK calculated that procurement from various manufacturers was causing financial loss after which he had planned to set up a manufacturing unit along with Imran AD with own brand name Various aspects are being investigated in this matter