Nigerian national held with mephedrone worth Rs 11.5 lakh in Palghar

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A 36-year-old Nigerian national has been arrested for alleged possession of mephedrone (MD) worth Rs 11.5 lakh in Maharashtra's Palghar district, police said on Saturday, reported news agency PTI.

A police team intercepted the accused, the Nigerian national, near a mall in the Achole police station area in the wee hours of Friday, said senior inspector Shahuraj Ranavre of Crime Unit III, Virar, reported PTI.

He said the accused, Desmand Chidalu Anigbo, gave evasive answers, and following a search, the team recovered 46 gm of MD from him.

The seized contraband was worth Rs 11.5 lakh, the official said, adding that a case was registered against the accused under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, reported PTI.

A probe is underway to trace where the contraband was sourced from and the intended recipients or network connected to the accused.

Hydroponic weed of over Rs 9 crore, gold worth Rs 54 lakh seized; 3 air passengers held

In two separate operations, the Customs Department arrested three passengers from the Mumbai International Airport and seized from them hydroponic weed worth Rs 9.53 crore and gold pieces valued at Rs 53.83 lakh, officials said on Tuesday, reported PTI.

The Mumbai Customs officials on April 6 apprehended a passenger, who arrived from Bangkok at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and seized from him hydroponic weed weighing 9.532 kilograms, an official said, reported PTI.

The contraband was concealed in the trolley bag of the passenger, he said.

In another case, two passengers travelling from Dubai to Mumbai were arrested for smuggling 21-karat crude gold in the form of pieces, weighing 789 grams, he said, reported PTI.

The gold was concealed in their undergarments, he said.

(With inputs from PTI)