Mumbai: NCB seizes over 12 kg of drugs, firearm from home lab

Mumbai: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has seized over 12 kg of narcotic drugs and a firearm during a raid at a home laboratory in Dongri area of south Mumbai, an official said on Thursday.

Three persons, including gangster Parvez Khan alias Chinku Pathan, a henchman of fugitive Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, have been arrested in connection with the drug network, the official said.

In the raids, which have been on since Wednesday, the NCB's zonal Mumbai unit busted a drug laboratory in Dongri and recovered over 12 kg of narcotics, Rs 2.18 crore in cash and an automatic revolver, he said.

Based on specific information, an NCB team led by Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede had on Wednesday arrested Khan from his residence in Ghansoli in Navi Mumbai, he said.

The agency recovered 52.2 gm of mephedrone and a 9 mm pistol from Khan's residence, he said.

Following further probe, the NCB team raided the home of Khan's associate Arif Bhujwala at Noor Manzil Building in Dongri on Wednesday evening, he said.

During the raid, the team found that Bhujwala was operating a clandestine laboratory from his home and seized 5.69 kg of mephedrone (MD), 1 kg of methamphetamine and 6.12 kg of ephedrine, the official said.

A huge stash of packing materials, utensils, weighing machines and other apparatus used in manufacturing of drugs was also recovered, he said, adding that efforts to nab Bhujwala are underway.

Apart from Khan, the NCB has nabbed his associate Zakir Hussain Fazal Huk and Rahul Kumar Verma, a DJ and rapper from Bhiwandi in neighbouring Thane district, the official said. The NCB is also probing illegal diversion of ephedrine as it has been found such a large quantity, he said.