Charas worth Rs 70 lakh in int market seized, man arrested

Mumbai, Jan 12 (PTI) Police today claimed to havebusted an inter-state drugs racket with the arrest of a personand seizure of over 6.5 kg of charas worth Rs 5.20 lakh in thelocal market, and Rs 70 lakh in the international market.

Acting on a tip off, a trap was laid and a MarutiSwift car driven by one Nitin Chikne was intercepted at BandraKurla Complex in the city yesterday, Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC)officials said.

"Upon search, it was found that the contraband wassmartly concealed in an empty CNG cylinder. After grillingChikne, who is a resident of Antop Hill area, one more vehicle-- Qualis -- was seized from the city today. A total of 6.5 kgof charas hidden in the empty CNG cylinders was confiscatedfrom both the vehicles," Deputy Police Commissioner (ANC)Sunil Paraskar said.

Chikne was produced before a local court whichremanded him to police custody till January 18, police said.

The probe revealed that the accused smuggled charashere from Jammu and Kashmir and for every consignment, he waspaid Rs 20,0000.

Chikne had gone to Ajmer a few months ago for workwhere he met the drug traffickers at an eatery. After learningthat he was a driver by profession, they lured him intosmuggling drugs, Paraskar said. .

Further investigation is on, and police are trying to nab the buyers as well as the suppliers, he said, adding thatdrugs would have fetched Rs 70 lakh in the internationalmarket.

The vehicles escaped check-points in other citieson their way to Mumbai probably because police there did notthink of opening the CNG cylinders, he said.

"This is how the accused managed to smuggle thecontraband into the city safely," Paraskar said.