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Dawood-linked fake currency syndicate goes local as border routes tighten

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New Delhi, April 14: Indian agencies have reported a sharp rise in counterfeit currency seizures, pointing to a renewed push by organised networks to expand operations.

Investigators say the syndicate linked to Dawood Ibrahim, operating from Pakistan, is increasingly directing operatives in India to print fake notes locally instead of relying on cross-border smuggling routes through Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The trend points to a deliberate attempt to scale up production, with signs of a coordinated effort to undermine the Indian economy. Recent months have seen multiple seizures in border regions due to tighter security. At the same time, attempts to drop counterfeit currency using drones are being detected and intercepted with increasing frequency.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that the syndicate is now directing its operatives in India to print fake notes locally and circulate them within the market. They have been advised to keep operations small but frequent to maintain overall volume while avoiding attention.

“To reduce the risk of detection, members are also shifting bases regularly, making it difficult for agencies to track and pin down a single location,” the official added.

The route through the Bangladesh border has also become increasingly difficult for smugglers to use. Enhanced security measures have tightened surveillance, making it harder for operatives to push counterfeit currency into India.

Another official said the strategy now is to expand printing across multiple states, including Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Punjab. In the past, the syndicate had set up a localised unit in Malda, West Bengal, where high-quality counterfeit notes were produced and were difficult to detect.

“However, after the unit was uncovered, intensified action by agencies led to a sharp decline in operations,” the official said.

Another official said printing capacity in Malda has dropped by more than half after agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), intensified investigations and enforcement.

Officials added that efforts are underway to push in raw materials needed to set up fresh units to expand local production. If these consignments reach operatives in India, output could increase again. Even as the focus shifts to domestic printing, attempts to move counterfeit currency across the border using drones are expected to continue.

Last month, the Border Security Force (BSF) and Amritsar Police seized counterfeit currency worth Rs 2.5 lakh, which officials believe may have been a trial run. While drones have been intercepted carrying drugs, arms, and ammunition on several occasions, their use for moving fake currency has emerged as a growing concern.

Agencies said the syndicate is now relying on smaller consignments that are harder to detect on radar and surveillance systems. An official noted that operatives are adopting varied methods to increase the circulation of counterfeit notes.

Even as local production gathers pace, the use of drones is expected to continue. The broader objective, officials said, is to generate funds for terror activities and to inflict economic damage through the sustained circulation of fake currency.

Crime

NESCO drug overdose case: Vanrai Police arrest 14th accused, twin brother of alleged mastermind Mahesh Khemlani

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Mumbai, July 11: The Vanrai Police have arrested the 14th accused in the high-profile NESCO drug overdose case, taking into custody Nitesh alias ‘Nick’ Khemlani, the twin brother of alleged mastermind Mahesh alias ‘Mark’ Khemlani.

According to police, Nitesh Khemlani was arrested following an investigation into the suspected financial network linked to the drug case. He was produced before a local court, which remanded him to police custody until July 13 for further questioning and investigation.

The arrest comes as part of the ongoing probe into the drug-related incident reported at the NESCO area in Goregaon, Mumbai. Police are examining the alleged drug syndicate’s operations, including its financial transactions and links among the accused persons.

The Vanrai Police said that during the investigation, suspicious financial transactions between Nitesh Khemlani and some of the accused already arrested in the case came to light. Based on these findings, police took him into custody for further investigation.

Investigators are now questioning Nitesh Khemlani to trace the alleged financial network behind the drug operation, identify possible sources of funding and uncover further links connected to the case.

The arrest marks the 14th in the case, with police continuing their probe into the wider network involved in the alleged drug supply and distribution chain.

The NESCO drug overdose case has drawn significant attention due to the involvement of multiple accused and the alleged links to a wider drug network. Police officials have said that further arrests and revelations may emerge as the investigation progresses.

The Vanrai Police are focusing on establishing the complete chain of events, including the movement of funds, connections between accused persons and the possible role of other individuals associated with the case.

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Crime

12-year-old boy dies after part of neighbour’s house collapses, falls on family in Thane

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Mumbai, July 11: A 12-year-old boy lost his life while two of his family members were injured after a section of a neighbouring building collapsed and fell on their house in Maharashtra’s Thane district, officials said.

The incident took place at around 3:35 p.m. on Friday at Madras Chawl in Azad Nagar, Brahmand, prompting an immediate rescue operation by local authorities and emergency services.

Officials said the affected building was a ground-plus-one-storey structure estimated to be around 25 to 30 years old. Preliminary findings indicate that a portion of the building’s gallery suddenly gave way and crashed onto an adjoining house where members of a family were asleep.

According to NDTV, the deceased has been identified as 12-year-old Jaykumar Jaiswal. He suffered critical injuries in the collapse and was rushed to the Civil Hospital. However, doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Two other family members, Urmila Jaiswal, 35, and Vinit Jaiswal, 9, sustained head injuries in the incident. Both were admitted to Titan Hospital in Manpada, where they are currently undergoing treatment. Their condition is being closely monitored.

Following the collapse, authorities evacuated three neighbouring houses in Madras Chawl as a precautionary measure to prevent any further casualties. Officials said structural inspections and debris-clearing operations are being carried out jointly by the Majiwada Ward Committee, the Public Works Department (PWD), and the Encroachment Department to assess the safety of nearby structures.

Emergency response teams reached the site shortly after receiving information about the collapse. The rescue operation involved two fire engines, a rescue vehicle, a disaster management utility vehicle, and an ambulance. Authorities ensured that the affected area was secured while search and clearance work continued.

The incident comes just days after another fatal house collapse in Mumbai amid heavy rainfall. On July 7, six people were killed and one person was injured after a neighbouring structure collapsed onto their home in Janata Nagar, Mankhurd. The victims belonged to the family of Akhtar Jahan and her husband, labourer Moinuddin Wajid Ali Shah.

According to local residents, the family had become increasingly concerned over the deteriorating condition of the adjoining building and had planned to relocate on Sunday. However, before they could move, the weakened structure collapsed during the spell of heavy rain, resulting in the tragic loss of lives.

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Crime

Mumbai Police arrests two more in Rs 50.74 crore MD drug case

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Mumbai, July 11: The Mumbai Police’s Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC), Kandivali Unit on Saturday arrested two more accused in connection with a major commercial MD drug case, taking the total number of arrests in the case to six.

During the operation, police also seized 210 kg of liquid 2-Bromo-4-Methylpropiophenone, a regulated precursor chemical used in the manufacture of MD (Mephedrone), as the investigation into the drug syndicate continues.

According to police, the arrests were made in connection with C.R. No. 54/2026, registered under Sections 8(c), 22(c), and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, linked to Agripada Police Station C.R. No. 253/2026.

The two arrested accused, aged 32 and 27, are residents of Pydhuni in Mumbai. They were taken into custody at around 4:30 a.m. on July 11 following an Intelligence-based operation conducted by the ANC.

Officials said that acting on credible information received on July 10, the Kandivali Unit laid a trap in the Wadi Bunder area after learning that liquid MD was likely to be supplied there. During the operation, the police intercepted the two suspects and recovered 210 kg of liquid 2-Bromo-4-Methylpropiophenone, a controlled precursor chemical commonly used in the illegal production of MD drugs.

The latest seizure is linked to an earlier operation in which the ANC had recovered 14 kg of MD and liquid MD valued at over Rs 50.74 crore. With the arrest of the two accused, the total number of people arrested in the case has now increased to six.

Investigators suspect that an organised MD drug syndicate is operating in Mumbai, with possible links extending to other states. Police are now probing the supply chain, financial transactions, and the network behind the procurement and distribution of the precursor chemicals and narcotics.

Further investigation into the case is underway.

Earlier, on June 27, the Mumbai Police’s Anti-Narcotics Cell had conducted another major anti-drug operation in Goregaon, seizing 750 grams of heroin worth approximately ₹3.75 crore. One accused, identified as Subhan Imran Gada, was arrested during that operation.

Police said the Kandivali Unit had acted on specific Intelligence regarding a drug supplier operating in Goregaon. During the raid, officers recovered the heroin from the accused and arrested him. Investigators are now examining the source of the seized narcotics and whether the case has links to an interstate or international drug trafficking network. The accused was subsequently produced before a court, which remanded him to police custody for further investigation.

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