Mumbai: City cops bust 2 'drug rackets', uncover chemist owners' role

Mohammed Zuber Abdullah Jumani

The Meghwadi police have busted two pharmaceutical drug rackets this month, with the arrest of two drug peddlers. The cops have launched a manhunt to arrest two absconding chemist owners in Aurangabad, who were involved in one of the rackets.

On Sunday, the cops recovered 12,000 tablets of Nitrazepam Nitravet 10 and Alprazolam Alko 1 worth R41,000 from the accused, identified as Samshad Fazlu Sheikh, 21. Both the drugs are prescribed for insomnia.

"The tablets, available for cheap, are popular among youngsters in the slums. As these drugs are not sold over the counter, the peddlers acquired them directly from the chemist owners in Aurangabad," said a police officer. "A team has been sent to Aurangabad to nab owners of two chemists who are absconding," added the officer.

This was the second such racket busted by the Meghwadi police this month. On August 12, the cops arrested one Mohammed Zuber Abdullah Jumani alias Pappu, 48, who was found in possession of 5,640 bottles of Phencyrex and Cefrex cough syrups worth R5,54,700.

Also Read: Drug racket busted; WY tablets worth Rs 400 crore seized

First raid

The police had made the first arrest after raiding a truck that was distributing cough syrups to the peddlers in the city on August 12. The raid was conducted of a tip-off. Jumani acquired the cough syrups from a chemist in Mumbai, whose role is under the scanner, said the officer.

Second raid

During the initial investigation, police learned that the accused chemist owners in Aurangabad would order these drugs from pharmaceutical companies legally, but offload a portion of the consignment at Sheikh's residence at would.

Sub-inspector Bhushan More of Meghwadi police station received another tip-off about illegal peddling of pharmaceutical drugs at Sheikh's residence on August 25. A team of inspector Shubdha Chavan, API Rajdat Kamble and PSI Balaji Sanap then raided the house and recovered the drugs. "Sheikh has a direct link with the chemist owners who illegally supplied the tablets," said an officer.

Samshad Fazlu Sheikh

Cases may be linked

The police suspect that the two cases are linked as both the accused are from the same area and peddled the drugs in Meghwadi, Jogeshwari and Sakinaka slums. However, the police said a link could only be established after the investigation is complete.

Also Read: Mumbai Crime: Man with drugs worth Rs 3.78 lakh arrested in Mahim

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