Maharashtra: Interstate drugs racket busted, 1 held with 638kg ganja worth Rs 2 crore

Thane: The property cell of Thane Crime Branch have busted an interstate drug trafficking racket, arresting a Telangana resident and seizing 638kg of ganja valued at over Rs 2 crore in the illicit market.Acting on a specific tip-off received by police constable Jaykar Jadhav, a team from the property cell intercepted a white SUV heading towards Kalwa near the Kharegaon toll plaza last week. Officers found the contraband stashed so densely that it occupied nearly every inch of the SUV's interior.Police arrested the driver, Chinna Tagur Lakshman Nayak (36), who hails from Mehbubnagar district in Telangana, and seized the 638kg of ganja, worth around Rs 2.04 crore, and the SUV valued at Rs 10 lakh. "The accused and his associates reportedly activated fresh mobile phones and SIM cards just 10 days prior to the operation to bypass electronic surveillance and tracking," said a senior police officer.While initial reports suggested the consignment originated from Odisha and Telangana, further probes indicate the drug supply chain stretches into Andhra Pradesh, added the officer.A case was registered at the Kalwa police station under Sections 8(c), 20(b), and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Nayak was produced before a local court and was remanded to police custody until Jan 3.The operation was conducted under the supervision of additional commissioner of police (Crime) Punjabrao Ugale.While the primary transporter is in custody, senior officers said that several links in the supply chain remain untraceable. Police are now working to identify the kingpins behind the source of the drugs and the intended local distributors in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.