In a major crackdown on the narcotics trade, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested five individuals associated with a syndicate involved in the trafficking of Mephedrone (MD). The DRI team also seized Rs1.93 crore in cash as part of the operation.
The arrests were made after a well-coordinated operation by DRI officers. On Tuesday, the agency apprehended Manish Bardawal, Ravindar Bardhawar, Mahesh Kharwa, and Sultan Ahmed Abdul Latif Shaikh, recovering 16 kg of Mephedrone worth ₹24 crore from the syndicate.
According to DRI sources, the operation began when the officers received intelligence that two suspects, Ravi and Manish, were transporting a large consignment of Mephedrone from Hyderabad to Mumbai via bus. The DRI team intercepted the duo near the Vashi flyover bus stop, where they confirmed they were carrying 16 kg of Mephedrone intended for distribution in Mumbai.
Further interrogation of the arrested individuals revealed that the consignment was meant for Mahesh Kharwa, who had specifically traveled from Vadodara to Mumbai to take delivery of the drugs. Kharwa was staying in a hotel near Mandvi, Mumbai, and was subsequently apprehended by DRI officers. He revealed that the consignment was to be handed over to Sultan Ahmed Abdul Latif Shaikh, another key member of the syndicate.
The DRI is now continuing its investigation into the syndicate’s operations and is attempting to identify additional members involved in the trafficking network. The seizure of both the Mephedrone and the substantial cash haul highlights the agency’s ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and related criminal activities.
