In a major breakthrough, the crime branch arrested Mumbai-based drug peddler Wasim Khan along with two associates during a raid at a hotel in Hanuman Lane, Sitabuldi, on Sunday. The trio was caught with mephedrone (MD) valued at over Rs31 lakh.
Wasim, previously arrested in 2023, was nabbed alongside Fakruddin Quereshi from Govandi (E), Mumbai, and their local accomplice Abdul Wasim Shaikh, a resident of Hansapuri. Police seized a significant quantity of drugs, four mobile phones, and substantial cash from the hotel room.
Investigators revealed that the MD consignment was sourced from a man named Siraj, believed to be the kingpin of the drug racket. The operation was carried out under the leadership of Senior Inspector Amol Deshmukh, supervised by DCP Rahul Maknikar and ACO Abhijit Patil. An FIR was registered at the Sitabuldi police station.
In a separate operation on Monday, the anti-narcotics cell led by Senior Inspector Gajanan Gulhane, along with Head Constables Manoj Neware and Vijay Jadhav, arrested three more peddlers from Malka Colony, Kapil Nagar. The accused – Ankit Ambade, Kashyap Patil, and Asif Malik – were caught with 52 grams of MD worth approximately Rs2.60 lakh. They were booked at the Kapil Nagar police station.
Police said that Ambade has a history of criminal offenses, and one of their aides, Kunal Dongre, remains absconding.
These back-to-back busts underscore the persistent efforts by city law enforcement to disrupt the drug trade and trace its roots to larger interstate networks.
