Mumbai: Dongri drug lord manages to escape during raid

Arif Bhujwala

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is on the lookout for Mumbai's ‘Pablo Escobar,' who managed to escape moments before his house was raided on Wednesday. His name cropped up after the NCB arrested drugs supplier Parvez Khan alias Chinku Pathan, who is grandson of the former underworld don late Karim Lala.

According to sources, the accused, Arif Bhujwala, is a notorious supplier, and has a tight network, not just in India, but abroad as well. Highly influenced by Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, Bhujwala is also known by that name in local circles.

According to NCB officials, when their team arrived at his home, Bhujwala had already escaped. While he resides on the fifth floor of Noor Manzil in Dongri, he had built a "drugs factory" on the fourth floor of the same building. Bhujwala used to sell drugs worth Rs 70 to Rs 80 lakh daily, and is currently the largest drugs supplier in the state of Maharashtra, NCB officials said.

"He managed to flee through a secret passage in his house, which directly leads to the ground floor," said Samir Wankhede, Zonal Director of NCB. The Dongri area where Bhujwala lives is where his network is strongest. Bhujwala was allegedly tipped off about the raid by locals.

Following investigations on Saturday, the NCB raided two other locations in Bhiwandi and Navi Mumbai. A jewellery shop owner was arrested in Bhiwandi. He allegedly provided financial aid to Chinku.