Palghar drug haul: Properties of four accused under DRI scanner

After a raid on a paint factory in Palghar, from where the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 282kg mephedrone and arrested four on Monday, the properties of the accused have come under the agency’s scanner.

“Investigations are on to ascertain if the accused bought property with the money they got by selling drugs,” said a DRI officer.

The DRI, an apex intelligence organisation of Indian Customs, raided Palghar Taluka Industrial Co-operative Estate, located on the Palghar-boisar Road. Officials found 8.2kg hashish. They suspect the mephedrone and hashish were to be smuggled to South Africa via Nepal. The mephedrone seized is worth around Rs10 crore on the international market.

The agency arrested Bhanudas More, 53, the main accused, along with Rauf Lulania, the manager, Pappu Chaudhary, 48, who got the raw materials, and Manish Sesaria, 30, a chemicals expert.

“We also found incriminating documents and the accused’s personal diaries at the factory,” said the officer.

DRI sources said Chaudhary was involved in smuggling at the Uttar Pradesh-nepal border and was in touch with several drug dealers in Nepal. “The seized drugs were to be given to Chaudhary. He was meant to sell the mephedrone for Rs1.25 lakh a kg, of which he was to pay More Rs1 lakh a kg,” said the officer.

The DRI said More admitted that to selling 18kg powdered mephedrone two African nationals earlier this month.