In a significant breakthrough during a district-wide anti-narcotics campaign, the Local Crime Branch (LCB) and Vasind Police Station have arrested a drug peddler and seized 7 kg of ganja along with Rs5 lakh in cash. The raid was conducted on May 15 around 6:20 PM at Shubhavastu Complex, Khativali village, under the Vasind Police Station limits.
The arrested accused has been identified as Vishal Vasant Shelar (28), a resident of Flat I-404 in the same complex. Based on a tip-off received by Police Constable Prakash Sail during routine patrolling, a swift operation was launched by Police Inspector Harshvardhan Barve with support from the LCB and other officers.
Shelar was found in possession of ganja valued at Rs2.1 lakh, and cash amounting to Rs5 lakh, suspected to be proceeds from drug trafficking. The total seizure amounted to approximately Rs7.1 lakh.
A case has been registered against Vishal Shelar under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act:
Section 8(c) – prohibition of certain operations related to narcotic drugs
Section 20(b) – punishment for contravention in relation to cannabis
Section 20(b)(ii) – cannabis possession in intermediate quantity
Section 29 – abetment and criminal conspiracy
This arrest falls under the special anti-narcotics initiative launched in Thane Rural District from May 1, 2025, under the direction of Superintendent of Police D.S. Swamy and Additional SP Bharat Tangde.
Senior Police Inspector Suresh Manore of the LCB coordinated intelligence-gathering operations, while Inspector Harshvardhan Barve is spearheading the investigation. Authorities confirmed that further leads are being pursued to uncover wider links in the drug network.
