Out on bail in drug case, 26-year-old man held with mephedrone in Mumbai

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Police have arrested a 26-year-old man after mephedrone or MD drug worth more than Rs 41.65 lakh was recovered from his possession in Mumbai suburb of Kurla, an official said on Monday, reported news agency PTI.

Mephedrone in Mumbai: Accused identified

According to the Kurla police station official, the accused was identified as Fareed Rehmatullah Sheikh, who recently came out on bail in a separate case registered against him under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, reported PTI.

Acting on a tip-off, the police laid a trap in Kurla and nabbed the accused on Sunday while he was delivering a consignment of mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant drug, said the official, reported PTI.

Sheikh was arrested under relevant sections of the NDPS Act and further investigation was underway, he added, reported PTI.

Mephedrone in Mumbai: Other cases

In another case, the Customs department has seized 12.47 kg of gold and electronic items valued at Rs 8.37 crore during a four-day operation at the international airport in Mumbai and arrested 10 persons, an official said on Monday, reported PTI.

The operation was carried out from April 29 to May 2 at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, reported PTI.

Gold was found concealed by various passengers as dust in wax form, gold layered clothes, crude jewellery and bars, in a water bottle, on their bodies and in the rectum. Five passengers were arrested in this connection, the official said in a release.

An Indian national, working as the airport contractual staff, was intercepted by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and handed over to the Customs sleuths.
During his search, gold dust in wax form (eight pieces) weighing 2.58 kg was found concealed in his water bottle. The person was arrested, the release said, reported PTI.

In another case, four Indian nationals travelling from Dubai were intercepted and found carrying 3.335 kg of gold concealed in undergarments, clothes worn by them and in the rectum. The four were subsequently arrested, the release said.

Six gold bars weighing 1.5 kg were also recovered from pipes below the seat of an aircraft, it said.

The Customs personnel also intercepted 15 other Indian nationals, including 10 travelling from Dubai, two from Muscat and one each from Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Jeddah, reported PTI.

They were found carrying 5.32 kg of gold concealed in undergarments, their jeans pockets, in the basket of the airport baggage trolley, on their bodies and in the rectum, the release said.

Another Indian national travelling from Dubai was also intercepted and found smuggling high-value goods. Nine iphones and other electronic items valued at Rs 14.21 lakh and hidden inside handbags and checked-in luggage were recovered from the passenger, it added.

(With inputs from PTI)