THANE: The Mumbra police have arrested four foreign nationals, three from Tanzania and one from Nigeria, and seized mephedrone (MD) and other material worth ₹1.50 crore from a flat in Samrat Nagar, Mumbra.
The accused have been identified as Rashid Muzammil Saeed, Hasan Nyumbe Ali, 34, and Kevin Adolf Wosa, 26, all Tanzanian nationals, and Obiali Alex Zender Chidibere, 34, a Nigerian national. All four were living in Hari Om building in Samrat Nagar.
Thane police commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre had ordered strict action against the storage, sale and consumption of drugs in the commissionerate. Following this, deputy commissioner of police (Zone 1) Balasaheb Patil asked officers to gather information on Nigerian nationals living in Mumbra and carry out raids.
On October 28, the investigation squad led by assistant police inspector Vinayak Mane received information that Nigerian nationals were staying in Samrat Nagar. On the orders of senior police inspector Ganesh Jawadwad, the team traced them to Hari Om building, confirmed that their movements were suspicious, and raided the flat in the presence of two panch witnesses after completing all legal formalities under the NDPS Act.
The team seized 1.146 kg of white-brown MD worth ₹1.14 crore and 352.5 grams of brown MD worth ₹35.25 lakh, along with mobile phones, electronic weighing scales and other material. The total seizure is valued at ₹1,50,27,500.
Police custody till November 5
A case was registered at Mumbra police station on October 29 under sections 8(c), 22(c) and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and the four were arrested the same day. A court has remanded them in police custody till November 5.
Visas, passports and wider network under scrutiny
DCP Patil said police are verifying how the accused entered India, the validity of their visas and passports, and their real reason for staying in Mumbra. Police are also checking whether any criminal cases are registered against them elsewhere in the country.
Police are probing whether the four are part of a larger international drug trafficking racket, and to whom they were supplying drugs in Mumbai, Thane and other parts of the state.
Police have also started a drive to identify foreign nationals and others staying in Mumbra on rent or as paying guests. They are checking whether the owner of the flat had executed the mandatory rent agreement and informed the local police. If not, action will be taken against him as well.
Two more cases
In a separate case, Mumbra police’s NDPS squad arrested Mohammed Rehan Yusuf Shaikh, 20, near Roz Nursery in Kausa on October 18 and seized 59.5 grams of MD worth ₹1.78 lakh from him. During questioning, Shaikh said he had bought the drug from Sohel Sakir Ali alias Sohel Bhopali alias Bob, 39. Police traced Ali to Shilphata through technical analysis and arrested him. Police said Ali is a habitual offender with NDPS cases registered against him at Mumbra police station and elsewhere.
In another case, the squad arrested Sahil Siraj Shaikh, 18, near Zendewala Baba in Irani Basti and seized 1.38 kg of ganja worth ₹28,229 from him.
39 drug sellers booked this year
Since January this year, the Mumbra police have booked 39 people for selling drugs and seized narcotics worth around ₹32 crore. They have also acted against 635 people for consuming ganja and other drugs in housing society premises, rickshaws, rickshaw stands, deserted spots, on the bypass road and in open grounds, and against 912 people for smoking or consuming tobacco products.
The action was carried out under the guidance of police commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre, joint commissioner Dnyaneshwar Chavan, additional commissioner Ashok Dudhe, DCP Balasaheb Patil and assistant commissioner (Kalwa division) Sanket Devlekar.
Police appeal to residents
The Mumbra police have appealed to residents of Mumbra and Diva to submit the personal details of foreign nationals, including Nigerian and Tanzanian nationals, to the police station before renting out rooms to them, so that their stay can be verified. Citizens with any information about the sale or consumption of drugs in their area can share it confidentially with senior PI Ganesh Jawadwad or API Vinayak Mane on the squad’s mobile number 8975215454.