UP: Two interstate traffickers held with MDMA worth Rs 80 lakh in Lucknow

Lucknow, Dec 3 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force arrested two alleged members of an interstate narcotics trafficking gang on Wednesday and recovered 523 grams of MDMA worth about Rs 80 lakh in the international market, officials said.

The accused were identified as Mohammad Mujeeb of Lalbagh in Lucknow and Mukesh Singh of Bahutachak Dahai in Suriyawan police station area of Sant Ravidas Nagar (Bhadohi) district.

According to the Special Task Force (STF), the arrests were made near Gabbar Dhaba on Sultanpur Road under the Gosainganj police station area here at around 8.55 am.

The seizure included 523 grams of MDMA, a mobile phone, Rs 2,500 in cash, an SUV, a PAN card, an Aadhaar card, and a driving licence.

The STF said it has been carrying out regular operations against narcotics networks. Acting on intelligence input, a team led by DSP Dharmesh Kumar Shahi tracked the suspects travelling in the SUV.

Based on specific information that two traffickers carrying illegal drugs were moving along the Sultanpur Road stretch, the team intercepted the vehicle and apprehended both men.

During questioning, the accused allegedly admitted to being part of an organised interstate syndicate involved in the sale and distribution of MDMA across Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Mumbai, and Bihar.

Mujeeb told investigators that he made the drug at his home by mixing prohibited chemicals and had learnt the process from Abhay Singh of Varanasi, who had earlier been arrested in Mumbai with MDMA and was recently released from jail, officials said.

The accused told the STF that the seized consignment was being taken from Lucknow to Varanasi with the help of Mukesh, who worked as a carrier for Abhay Singh and his brother Anuj.

A case has been registered under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act at the Gosainganj police station, officials added.

MDMA is a synthetic psychoactive drug that acts as both a stimulant and psychedelic, and it is banned in India. PTI ABN AKY PRK