Major Drug Trafficking Bust in Thane: 8 Arrested, Ganja Seized

Police in Thane district have dismantled a drug smuggling gang, arresting eight members and seizing ganja worth Rs 8.5 lakh and a country-made pistol. The crackdown, conducted by Mahatma Phule and Kalyan traffic police, involved intercepting a suspect transporting drugs via a tip-off, leading to further arrests.

In a significant operation against drug trafficking, Thane police have dismantled a smuggling gang operating across multiple states, arresting eight out of 14 members and seizing Rs 8.5 lakh worth of ganja, officials announced on Thursday.

A country-made pistol was confiscated from the gang, who have been charged under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), according to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Atul Zende.

The operation, which was a joint effort by Mahatma Phule police station and the Kalyan traffic police, followed a tip-off received in August about a drug transport via the Waldhuni bridge in Kalyan. Police set a trap, intercepting a car with a Chhattisgarh registration number. Despite attempts by the driver to escape, including an attempt to harm a constable, police recovered 35 kg of ganja and arrested five occupants. Information from these arrests led to three more apprehensions in Bhiwandi, Nagpur, and Odisha. Efforts to capture the remaining gang members are ongoing.

(With inputs from agencies.)