Three drug peddlers held, `30 lakh seized

The Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of Mumbai Police arrested three persons on Monday for running a drug cartel. Narcotic substances worth Rs 30 lakh have been seized by the police.

A case has been registered for possession of drugs (Section 8(c)), punishment for contravention in relation to manufactured drugs and preparation (Section 21 (c)) and punishment for contravention in relation to psychotropic substances (Section 22) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. John Kennedy, 36, a Nigerian national residing at Ulwe, Navi Mumbai, was arrested from near the Shyam Nagar slums at Veera Desai Road, Amboli.

Police seized 125 grams cocaine worth Rs 12,50,000 and 5.4 kilograms ephedrine worth Rs 5,40,000. Shivdeep Lande, deputy commissioner of police, Anti-Narcotics Cell said, “We are keeping a vigil on drug cartels during the ongoing festive season to ensure they do not target vulnerable youth and hamper the festivities. Peddlers have been selling these drugs mostly to youngsters."

On October 12, the ANC of the Ghatkopar unit arrested Manzaar Mohammed Shaikh, 43. He was arrested from the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road and 89 grams of heroin worth Rs 8,90,000 were seized from him. On Monday, the ANC laid another trap at Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg and arrested Irfan Yasin Shaikh, 36, a resident of Udriya street at Nagpada and seized two kilograms of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine worth Rs 3,00,000 from him.

Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are controlled drugs and their sales are permitted only through valid licences. These drugs cannot be purchased over the counter and can only be bought through prescription.