Anti-Narcotics Cell traces drug route from source to suburb in Mumbai

From ganja to pharmaceuticals, Mumbai gets its drugs in many forms and via many transport networks. Anti-Narcotics Cell gives a low-down on how the city and state are afflicted

ANC traces the Mumbai drug route from source to suburb

Ganja
It is cultivated in districts of Gadchiroli, Yavatmal, Dhulia, Beed, Osmanabad in Maharashtra, some of which are Naxalite affected. Ganja is also trafficked into Mumbai from the Andhra-Odisha border and Chhattisgarh.

Charas
It is cultivated illegally in states of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. The traffickers, says the ANC, adopt rail/road route from J&K, Himachal Pradesh to Mumbai with Delhi as a transit point. A recent modus operandi is that charas couriers traffic Nepali charas to Gulf countries from Mumbai and return with smuggled gold or cigarettes.

Another way is that the traffickers from J&K conceal it in trucks laden with fruits. It is unloaded in Gujarat, where the dealers from Mumbai and neighbouring areas send their couriers to collect the contraband.

Malana Cream is trafficked via private tourist buses or private cars to Mumbai. These couriers do multiple quick deliveries at various stops in one journey. Most deals are finalised on WhatsApp. Financial transaction is through hawala or cash deposits in bank accounts of suppliers.

Graphic/Aparna Chaudhari

Heroin (Brown sugar)
The traffickers are from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Afghani/Pakistani heroin is trafficked across the border in J&K and Punjab, which is carried to Mumbai via Delhi by the rail route. This is then trafficked abroad by air. Trafficking of heroin of Afghan origin in Mumbai is controlled by West African syndicates. Most of the couriers are south Indians or Africans.

Mephedrone
Mephedrone, ketamine and methamphetamine are synthetic drugs which can be easily manufactured in kitchen labs. Manufacturers target a sick factory in an isolated spot within industrial areas near Mumbai. They make leases for them under false names. A highly qualified chemist is hired for the manufacturing. Most common areas for setting up the factory are Palghar, Boisar, Raigarh, Mahad and Rasayani (Navi Mumbai).

Cocaine
The cocaine syndicate in Mumbai is largely controlled by West Africans. They are firmly based in Mohammed Ali Road, Sandhurst Road, Vashi, Kharghar, Andheri, Mira Road, Nalasopara and Borivli. The ANC says that the drug lords send their couriers from Africa to Latin America, who then carry cocaine to Mumbai via air through Addis Ababa or Abu Dhabi as transit points.

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