204 kg ganja, country-made pistol seized in Mumbai; five held

Mumbai, Aug 30 (PTI) The Mumbai police have seized 204 kilograms of ganja, a country-made pistol and live cartridges, collectively valued at over Rs 70 lakh, and arrested five persons in connection with the seizure, an official said on Saturday.

According to the official from Malwani police station in the western suburb of Malad, they arrested one Wasif Khan, 48, with 1.6 kg of ganja on August 24. After questioning him, they raided a place in Nashik and took the supplier, Santosh More, into custody, the official said.

More told the police that he had procured the drug from Dhule. When a police team reached Dhule, they learnt that three persons had already reached Malwani to deliver a large amount of cannabis to someone, the official said.

Later, the police tracked down the trio to the Madh area in Malad and recovered 203 kg of the contraband, one “desi” pistol and four live cartridges from them. The drug, weapon and ammunition are collectively worth about Rs 72 lakh, the official said.

Citing the initial investigation, the official said that the drug had been procured from Odisha.

A case has been registered against the five accused under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Arms Act, the official said, adding that more arrests are expected. PTI ZA NR