Ahmedabad, Oct 22: The Crime Branch of Surat and Ahmedabad police have arrested three men and seized heroin and mephedrone worth an estimated Rs 25.5 crore in a joint operation near the CTM toll plaza on the Ahmedabad Express Highway, within the jurisdiction of Ramol police station, police said on Thursday.
The seizure comprised around 4.5 kg of heroin, valued at Rs five crore per kg, and 2.5 kg of mephedrone, also known as MD, valued at Rs 1.2 crore per kg. The combined market value of the drugs is estimated at Rs 25.5 crore. The operation targeted an alleged inter-state drug network with links to Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.
Ahmedabad City Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlot had been getting intelligence about the suspected syndicate for more than two years, according to information shared by police. The investigation began during his tenure as Surat Police Commissioner.
The arrested men have been identified as Tifel Nokhej, 44, a resident of New Delhi; Mohammed Imran Alvi, 38, from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh; and Kafeel Ahmed, 59, also a resident of New Delhi. According to police, Nokhej has a criminal history linked to heroin smuggling.
He was allegedly involved in a case involving 100 grams of heroin in Amritsar in 2014 and another involving 300 kg of heroin in 2019, in which he was accused of piloting a smuggling operation. “Alvi has been linked to several criminal cases, including those involving molestation, human trafficking and cheating,” the police said.
Ahmed also has a criminal record involving narcotics cases. He was previously caught with 18.5 kg of charas in Jaipur and 100 grams of mephedrone in Ahmedabad. He was also allegedly caught with 3 kg of alprazolam in Rajasthan while being released on parole.
The latest seizure comprised 2,497.490 grams of mephedrone and 4,531.220 grams of heroin, according to the detailed seizure figures provided by the police. The raid was carried out by a joint team of the two Crime Branches following intelligence inputs about the alleged drug network. “The operation had disrupted an attempt to bring the narcotics into Gujarat,” an official said. Further investigation is expected to establish the network’s supply chain and the role of the arrested men.
IANS