Nagpur: In a major anti-narcotics operation under “Operation Thunder,” the NDPS squad of Nagpur Crime Branch, along with Nagpur Police, seized 34 kilograms of ganja and arrested six accused from the jurisdiction of Pardi Police Station on Wednesday evening.
The action was carried out near Umiya Complex, close to Shiv Mandir on the Bhandara-Nagpur Highway under the limits of Pardi Police Station between 4.30 pm and 10.30 pm on May 14.
Police registered a case under Sections 8(b), 20(b)(2)(c), and 29 of the NDPS Act. The complainant in the case is Sub-Inspector Sandeep Jadhav of the Anti-Vice Squad attached to the Crime Branch.
The arrested accused have been identified as Syed Sumel Syed Ismail (29), a truck driver and resident of Jagdamba Layout, Shirpur-Kamthi; Mohammad Anas Syed Hidayatulla (25), Ravi Udaysingh Shahu (30), Aniket Gajanan Gayner (27), Aman Nimraj Gaydhane (27), all residents of Bansi Nagar on Hingna Road, Nagpur; and Akash Vasant Vitole (27), a resident of Andhalgaon in Mohadi taluka of Bhandara district.
According to police, the NDPS patrol team noticed suspicious activity involving an Ashok Leyland truck and a Swift Dzire car during anti-drug patrolling. The team allegedly spotted an exchange taking place between the occupants of the two vehicles. Acting on suspicion, police detained the suspects and conducted a search in the presence of panch witnesses.
During the search, officers recovered 34 kg of ganja along with the truck, the Swift Dzire car, and eight mobile phones. The total value of the seized material has been estimated at Rs 29.05 lakh.
Preliminary investigation revealed that accused Akash Vitole was the alleged mastermind of the racket. Police said he had sourced the contraband from Redapur village in Sambalpur district of Odisha, both for personal use and for supply to the other accused in Nagpur. Investigators further found that the consignment was transported from Sambalpur through the arrested truck driver.
Five accused were detained from the spot, while the alleged kingpin was later taken into custody from Andhalgaon in Bhandara district. Further investigation is underway at Pardi Police Station.
