₹327 crore worth of narcotics seized: MBVV

₹327 crore worth of narcotics seized; involvement of the underworld, arrest of Dawood Ibrahim's aide
It has been revealed that Salim Dola, a close aide of international terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, was masterminding this gang.

BHAYANDER: The Central Crime Branch of the Mira Bhayander Vasai Virar Police Commissionerate has successfully cracked down on a major drug manufacturing and distribution racket. They have seized a total stash worth ₹327 crores and arrested 15 individuals so far. It has been revealed that Salim Dola, a key aide of international terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, was operating this racket.

During the Lok Sabha election code of conduct period, the police had intensified nakabandi (blockades) in the city. On May 15th, Senior Police Inspector Avinash Kurade of Crime Branch Unit-1 received a tip-off that Shoeib Memon and Nickolas, two individuals, were coming to Mira Bhayander to sell drugs. Based on this information, the police laid a trap in the Ghodbunder area and apprehended the suspects. The police seized nearly 1 kg of MD (Methylenedioxy-methamphetamine) drugs worth around ₹2 crores from the arrested individuals.

Further investigation revealed that the drugs had been sourced from Telangana. Subsequently, a police team was dispatched to Vikarabad district in Telangana, where they arrested Nasir alias Baba Shaikh and Dayanand alias Daya Manik, and seized 25 crore worth of MD and a drug manufacturing unit.

Extensive investigation led the police to uncover a major active drug trafficking syndicate. Raids were conducted in Varanasi, Maharashtra, and Gujarat to apprehend other suspects. It has been established that the main conduit in the financial transactions and other operations of this racket is Salim Dola, a key aide of international terrorist Dawood Ibrahim.

In total, the police have arrested 15 accused and seized MD worth ₹327 crores. They have also recovered 3 pistols, 1 revolver, and 33 live cartridges from the suspects. This operation was carried out under the guidance of Police Commissioner Madhukar Pandey, and led by Senior Police Inspector Avinash Kurade and his team.

The financial hub of the operations was found to be in Gujarat. Zulfiqar alias Murtaza Kothari, a businessman from Surat, Gujarat, was used by Salim Dola to channelize the money through the hawala (informal money transfer) network, with the help of Mustafa Furniture Wala in Mumbai.

The timeline of the key arrests and seizures is as follows:
- On May 15, Shoeib Memon and Nickolas were arrested in Chena, Maharashtra, and 1 kg of MD was seized.
- On May 17, Dayanand alias Daya Malik and Nasir alias Baba Shaikh were arrested in Telangana, and 103 grams of powder and 25 kg of raw MD (worth ₹25 crores) were seized.
- Based on Dayanand's information, Ghanshyam Saroj and Mohammad Shakeel were arrested in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, and 71.90 grams of MD were seized.
- On May 27, accused Bharat alias Babu Jadhav was arrested in Vasind, Maharashtra, and materials for manufacturing MD were seized.
- On May 31, businessman Zulfiqar alias Murtaza Kothari was arrested in Surat, Gujarat, and ₹10 lakhs in cash were seized.
- Mustafa Furniture Wala was also apprehended in Mumbai.
- Babu Khan, Mohammad Khan, and Ahmad Shah, involved in drug trafficking, were arrested in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh.
- On June 25, Amir Khan, Mohammad Shadab, and Virendra Singh were also arrested in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh.
- Based on Amir Khan's information, Abhishek Singh was arrested in Nalasopara on June 1.