Updated on: 19TH June 2023 04:05 PM IST | Mumbai
S S Nadar | news@debotimes.in

Under the guidance of Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar, and Joint Commissioner (Crime) Lakhmi Gautam, the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) has conducted a large-scale operation in the city over the past six months

In a massive victory in the fight against drugs, after a vast investigation across the city in the past six months, the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) has arrested 23 leading operators that distributed narcotics to peddlers and facilitators. mid-day has obtained a comprehensive list of these 23 key drug operators. The ANC has compiled valuable information regarding their operational territories and affiliated gang members and dismantled their illicit operations within the city. The chief of Mumbai Police has emphasised that eliminating the drug scourge from our city remains their utmost concern, as it poses a significant threat to our collective future.

Under the guidance of Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar, and Joint Commissioner (Crime) Lakhmi Gautam, the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) has conducted a large-scale operation in the city over the past six months. This operation primarily targeted key drug operators, resulting in the apprehension of 97 individuals and the seizure of drugs worth Rs 25 crore. Through thorough investigations, the ANC has identified 23 of these apprehended individuals, as the primary operators responsible for overseeing various territories within the city.

These 23 accused individuals play a significant role in supplying drugs to peddlers and facilitators, who subsequently distribute them among the predominantly youthful consumer base of the city.” Our primary objective was to apprehend these operators and dismantle their operations, thereby reducing the availability of synthetic drugs in the town,” stated an officer. Below is a compilation of the 23 primary operators in the city and their areas of operation. mid-day has procured the photos of 20 of them.

Salman Khan
As per the ANC, Khan operated as a primary supplier in Bandra Kurla Complex. He was involved in acquiring large quantities of mephedrone (MD), which he would distribute in smaller amounts to his network of peddlers and facilitators daily. The consignments were sourced from the outskirts of the city. Khan, originally from Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh, has been engaged in the narcotics trade for several years, often adopting covert tactics to evade law enforcement agencies. In March this year, he was apprehended by the ANC with a significant seizure of 4.86 kg of Mephedrone valued at approximately Rs 9.72 crore.

The other main operators

Suleman Ghachi
Apprehended by the ANC in March, he was discovered in possession of 378 grams of mephedrone valued at R76 lakh. His operational territory was Mahim and Bandra. Ghachi would acquire mephedrone in large quantities from the outskirts of the city and store it for distribution among his gang members. These gang members would further supply it to the younger population near schools, colleges, and slums in the vicinity.

Irfan Ibrahim Shaikh
Identified as the primary operator in the Jogeshwari and Andheri East areas, Shaikh was apprehended by the ANC in April. During his arrest, 350 gm mephedrone valued at Rs 70 lakh was seized from him. Shaikh was involved in procuring mephedrone from the outskirts of the city and subsequently distributing it among a network of small-scale peddlers. These peddlers would then cater to the local consumers within a designated area.

Ramesh Vijay Parmar
Parmar, the primary operator in Goregaon, had a sourcing network that spanned Bharuch in Gujarat and Hyderabad. In June this year, the ANC apprehended him, seizing 255 gm of mephedrone valued at Rs 51 lakh from him.

Arbaz Hamid Shaikh
Shaikh, a significant supplier of mephedrone in Vikhroli, was taken into custody by the ANC in May. The arrest yielded a seizure of 330 gm mephedrone valued at R66 lakh. Shaikh also obtained the narcotic from the outskirts of the city, contributing to the flow of illicit substances in the targeted area.

Blessing Okonkwo
A Nigerian national, she operated as a prominent figure among the key operators in Dharavi and Bandra. She specialized in sourcing bulk quantities of mephedrone from Nalasopara and distributing it to her Indian counterparts, who served as small-scale peddlers. Okonkwo’s activities came to an end when she was apprehended by the ANC in January this year. The arrest resulted in the seizure of 610 gm MD valued at approximately Rs 1.22 crore. It was discovered that Okonkwo had been residing in India with an expired visa.

Khatamuddin Mohuddin Sayyad
A notable key operator, he had a significant presence in Dharavi and Sion. Despite previously being pursued by local law enforcement and temporarily driven out of the city, Sayyad continued to operate in the area. Shockingly, some of his family members were also involved in the drug supply chain. The ANC apprehended him once again in December last year. The arrest resulted in the seizure of 500 gm mephedrone valued at Rs 1 crore. Sayyad’s sourcing network extended to Gujarat and Bihar.

Altamesh Shaikh
Shaikh, another prominent key operator, held a significant position in Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum, as well as in certain parts of Mahim. He had a well-established network for procuring contraband from Palghar in large quantities, which he would then distribute within his operational territory through the assistance of peddlers. Shaikh’s illicit activities were curtailed when the ANC apprehended him in January this year. The arrest led to the seizure of 200 gm MD valued at R40 lakh.

Mohammad Sayeed Qureshi
Qureshi held a central role as the primary operator in the Nagpada and Pydhonie in South Mumbai. He established a sourcing network in Gujarat, enabling him to acquire synthetic drugs in large quantities. Subsequently, Qureshi distributed these substances to the members of his gang, who facilitated the supply chain to consumers within the SoBo region. In March this year, the ANC apprehended Qureshi, resulting in the seizure of 300 gm MD valued at R60 lakh.

Manohar Mali and Shoebrao Shafi Khan
According to the ANC, Mali and Khan are significant suppliers of codeine cough syrup (CCS) in Mumbai. Their primary areas of operation include Palghar, Vapi, and Bhiwandi. The accused used to obtain the illicit syrup from Gujarat, Karnataka, and Himachal Pradesh. In February this year, the ANC apprehended them, seizing 84 kg of codeine cough syrup (CCS) valued at R5 lakh. CCS, being affordable, is predominantly distributed in the slum areas of the city.

Azhar Akhtar Khan
Khan played a central role as an operator in the densely populated and Eastern Mumbai suburbs including Shivajinagar, Mankhurd, Govandi, and Deonar. His modus operandi involved procuring CCS in bulk from Palghar and distributing it to peddlers who then supplied it to consumers. This suburban region experiences a significant number of crimes, including murder and attempted murder. In many cases, the police have discovered that the perpetrators committed these crimes under the influence of various drugs. The consumption of drugs such as MD and CCS is prevalent in the area due to their affordability and their ability to produce a strong effect. He was arrested in January with 14 kg CCS bottles.

Amol Vidhate and Ram lingam
Vidhate and Lingam are prominent suppliers and operators based in Dongri and Byculla. Their operations primarily involve the procurement of Codeine cough syrup (CCS) from Himachal Pradesh. However, their activities came to an end last year in December when they were apprehended by the ANC. The ANC intercepted them with a substantial haul of 500 kg of CCS bottles, valued at R23 lakh.

Rushikesh Hadwale
Hadwale, a graduate of a Bachelor of Business Management (BBM), held a pivotal role as a supplier of LSD within the city. His operations primarily centred around the Marol and Andheri areas. However, his illicit activities came to a halt in May this year when he was apprehended. The ANC seized 522 dots of LSD during the arrest, with an estimated value of R52.20 lakh. The ANC states that LSD is a highly sought-after party drug with strong effects, and in this case, it was sourced internationally through an international courier. Hardware primarily distributed LSD at upscale parties within the western suburban region.

Nihal Patdiya
Patdiya, a significant supplier of Hydroponic Weed procured from the USA, operated in the Kandivli area. He catered to the demand for this high-profile drug, ensuring its availability to interested parties. In April the ANC apprehended him. During the arrest, law enforcement seized 280 gm of weed with an estimated value of R28 lakh.

Priyank Mehta
According to the ANC, Mehta is a significant operator involved in the distribution of charas, operating primarily in the Charkop area. He was apprehended by the ANC in April. Law enforcement seized 1.230 kg charas during the arrest, which has an estimated value of R37 lakh.

Navin Jha
Jha, a significant operator in the city, was involved in the distribution of charas with his operations centered in Jogeshwari (West). He used to procure charas from West Champaran in Bihar. He was also arrested by ANC this year. Law enforcement seized 1.15 kg charas during the arrest, valued at R30.45 lakh.

Abdul Salam, Najim Shaikh, Abdul Razzak, and Gulsher Gaur
This group of four was also apprehended by the ANC for their involvement in operating a drug supply network from Palghar. They supplied Afghan heroin to peddlers in Mumbai. The group would procure the heroin from Rurki in Himachal Pradesh. In December last year, the ANC arrested the group and seized 355 gm of heroin valued at Rs 1.42 crore.

Salim Pappad
Pappad was apprehended by the ANC in March this year. During his arrest, 378 gm of MDMA or ecstasy with an estimated value of R76 lakh was seized. According to the ANC, Pappad played a significant role in the illegal drug trade in Dongri and Byculla. He was responsible for procuring synthetic drugs from the outskirts of Mumbai and had a network of approximately 4-5 peddlers working for him to distribute the contraband to consumers.

‘Our utmost priority
“Eradicating the drug menace from our city remains our utmost priority. Our specialized teams and local police stations have been diligently instructed to maintain a vigilant eye on peddlers and distributors, taking decisive action against them,” stated Commissioner Phansalkar. He added, “We have also directed our efforts towards curtailing drug supplies near schools and colleges, resulting in the apprehension of multiple syndicates that have been targeting our youth. By dismantling their networks, we aim to disrupt the major suppliers and distributors in the region. In addition to our enforcement measures, we are actively running various awareness campaigns to highlight the detrimental effects of drug consumption. It is crucial to emphasize that drug abuse not only devastates an individual’s health but also profoundly impacts their entire family.”