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Drug Kingpin Nabbed After 20-Day Hunt
20 Feb
Summary
- Drug racket mastermind arrested after 20 days on the run.
- Police seized Rs 4,74,500 cash and a car from the accused.
- MCOCA action planned against drug trafficking gangs and funders.
Shaikh Ashfak Shaikh Isaq, the alleged mastermind behind a significant drug trafficking operation, was apprehended in Nashik on Wednesday. He had been evading authorities for approximately 20 days, reportedly moving across India and potentially visiting Nepal. His arrest followed a tip-off, and police, with assistance from Nashik police, subdued him after he attempted to resist.
The operation, a joint effort between Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nashik police, targeted a racket involving cough syrup and sleeping pills. Ashfak, allegedly a drug addict himself, was arrested from a hotel. Authorities also seized a car and Rs 4,74,500 in cash from him, while his associates were found with mobile phones. The total value of seized property amounts to Rs 19,44,500.
Police commissioner Pravin Pawar stated that Ashfak operated through intermediaries and that efforts are underway to identify financial backers of the racket. To date, 22 gang members, including a woman, have been arrested. Law enforcement is also scrutinizing the legality of constructions at the residences of 60 accused individuals, hinting at potential stringent actions, possibly including bulldozer action.
Furthermore, action under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) is planned for drug trafficking gangs and their financiers. Over the past three years, the anti-narcotics cell has arrested 731 individuals, with 12 gangs booked under MCOCA resulting in 85 arrests.
