Thane (Maharashtra) [India], February 17 (ANI): The anti-narcotics squad of the Thane Crime Branch busted a drug smuggling racket and arrested eight accused.

Drugs worth Rs 55 lakh 73 thousand and materials and chemicals required for making 'MD' drug have been seized from them.

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Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, Shivraj Patil, said in the press conference.

Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre had given instructions to trace the drug dealers and take strict action. After this, the Thane Anti-Narcotics Squad arrested Jayesh Kambli, alias Golu and Vignesh Shirke, alias Vignya, with 78 grams of MD. Ahmed Mohammad Shafi Shaikh, alias Akbar Khaw and Shabbir Abdul Karim Shaikh of Kurla, Mumbai, who supplied MD to them, were arrested by the police in Vasai.

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Also, Mohammad Raees Hanif Ansari of Kurla, who supplied drugs, has been arrested by the police in Virar. An investigation revealed that he was supplying Mohammad Amir Amanatullah Khan, MD, from Kurlya itself. Mohammad Aamir was also arrested by the police. He said that Manoj Patil, alias Bala, was supplying MD and Manoj was arrested in Gujarat on charges of MD smuggling.

When Manoj was in Gujarat's Lajpore jail for the crime, he was granted parole for 15 days in March 2023. He never returned to jail. Manoj was communicating only through WhatsApp calls and not mobile calls. Also, since he was constantly changing his place of residence, it became difficult to catch him. However, after a technical investigation, the police arrested Manoj as soon as he left Khalapur.

Manoj's associate, Dinesh Mhatre, was also caught by the police. Both of them are residents of Pena. Deputy Commissioner of Police Shivraj Patil said that narcotics worth Rs 55 lakh 73 thousand, material for making medicines and a car have been seized from the accused. This demonstration was done by the team of senior police inspector Sanjay Shinde, assistant police inspector Nilesh More, Jagdish Gavit, and anti-narcotics squad sub-inspector Deepesh Kini.

Manoj, Dinesh and Aamir Khan rented a farmhouse in Kalad village in Pen Taluka and produced MD there from June to November 2023. Later, MD was sold through Aamir Khan. Suspecting this, the owner of the farmhouse moved the material required for MD production from there to a rented pit at Valap village in Chemilak Panvel taluka.

210 grams of MD worth Rs 21 lakh and material worth Rs 59 lakh have been seized from this gang.

Notably, 12 kg of MD manufactured by the accused was sold in Thane, Mira-Bhayander, Navi Mumbai, and Mumbai, adding to which Deputy Commissioner of Police Patil said that an investigation is being done. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)