NCB cracks down on drug peddlers, nabs 7 persons, including 2 Nigerians in Mumbai

Mumbai: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) nabbed seven persons, including two Nigerians, during a drive to flush out the suppliers and peddlers of Mephedrone (MD) drug in Mumbai and neighbouring suburbs, an official said on Saturday (August 28).

During the drive, launched on Thursday, two NCB officials sustained injuries while conducting a raid in Navi Mumbai, the official said, adding the NCB team recovered a commercial quantity of MD from the accused persons.

"Arrest of TV actor Gaurav Dixit in a drug case on Friday was also part of the operation," he said, adding Dixit was remanded in NCB custody till Monday. 

On Thursday, NCB's Mumbai Zonal team intercepted MD drug peddler Abusufiyan Khan from suburban Jogeshwari and recovered an intermediate quantity of MD from him, he said. Khan, a history-sheeter, is one of the main peddlers cum suppliers in a drug case, he said.

In another operation, NCB officials seized 57.3 grams of MD along with a small quantity of Charas and Ganja (cannabis) in Vasai and Nallasopara East in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, he said, adding one Rafiq Mohammed Ali Shaikh and Nigerian national Jonhcen Maka were arrested in this case.

The official said Maka is a major supplier of MD in the Nallasopara area. He also supplies this drug to peddlers and clients in Mumbai and the suburbs. Separately, NCB officials seized 52 grams of MD from Irfan Ikramuddin Khan, a history-sheeter, from suburban Goregaon.

In an operation conducted in Navi Mumba's Kharghar area, NCB officials seized at least 55 grams of MD and a small quantity of Ganja from Nigerian drug peddler Kingsley Ukwueza on the intermediate night of Thursday and Friday, he said.
During the raid, the Nigerian hid in a Nigerian community kitchen along with around 50 compatriots who charged at the NCB team, injuring two officials, he said.

Ukwueza is a big trafficker of MD and supplier in Navi Mumbai. He has international links, the official said. In another operation, a team of NCB Mumbai seized 65 grams of MD (commercial quantity) on Friday at Mira Road in the Thane district and intercepted a man identified as Riyaaz Iqbal Tandel, he added.

(With agency inputs)