The Mumbai unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) seized 60 kgs of high-quality Mephedrone (MD) worth approximately Rs 120 crores. The law enforcement and intelligence agency have arrested six people in connection with the bust including the kingpin of the cartel, ANI reported. According to a senior official, one of the arrested persons is a former Air India pilot.
Deputy Director General of NCB SK Singh said that the raids were conducted based on the information received by the Naval Intelligence unit at Jamnagar in Gujarat. “Following the tip-off, the officials from the NCB headquarters in Delhi and its Mumbai zonal unit conducted a raid at Jamnagar on October 3 and seized 10 kg mephedrone,” he added. The NCB team had arrested one person from Jamnagar and three more were held from Mumbai in this connection, Singh further said. “Preliminary probe revealed that both seizures have common linkages,” the DDG said.
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According to an IE report, the arrested persons were identified as Bhaskar V, arrested from Jamnagar, and SG Mahida, SM Chowdhury and Muthu PD from Mumbai. An NCB official said Mahida was a pilot with Air India between 2016 and 2018. He completed his flying training from San Antonio in Texas, USA and Lithuania. Muthu is a history-sheeter who was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence in 2001 in a 350 kg Mandrax (drug) trafficking case and has been out on bail since 2008, the report stated.
Mephedrone, also known as ‘meow meow’ or MD, is a synthetic stimulant and psychotropic substance banned under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
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Earlier in September, the NCB seized a total of 200 kg of ganja worth Rs 4 crore in Mumbai. On August 27, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) carried out raids in the Ghatkopar area in Mumbai and arrested a 24-year-old youth, ANI reported.