The Manpada police arrested Esa Bacayoka, a 37-year-old foreign national originally from Ivory Coast, for allegedly possessing 1.51 kilograms of mephedrone (MD) powder worth over Rs2 crore.
Acting on a tip-off received on July 7, a police team intercepted Bacayoka near Talav in Nilje Gaon, Dombivli, around 10:50 PM. Upon search, the large quantity of MD powder was recovered from his possession.
He was brought to the Manpada police station where a case was registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Deputy Commissioner of Police Atul Zende of the Kalyan Division said preliminary investigations revealed Bacayoka had been living in Navi Mumbai. Authorities are probing the source and possible manufacturing locations of the drugs.
