Mumbai: The Crime Branch of Mumbai Police has arrested five persons from the Pydhonie area for allegedly attempting to sell illegal firearms and live cartridges without a valid license. Officials are also probing whether the accused have any links with the Bishnoi gang. All five accused have been arrested. They are aged between 19 and 26 years and are natives of Rajasthan and Haryana.The arrested accused have been identified as Surendra Amarlalji Minna (25), Rohit Ghanshyam Mina (24), Kartik Bijander Parcha (19), Deepak Kumar Chitarmal Bil (26) and Ronuronak Pannalal Merotha (25).

As per Sources told, Based on specific intelligence received from a confidential informant, the complainant verified the input and conducted a raid at the hotel premises in Nakhooda Mohalla, Pydhonie. During the operation, the five accused were found in possession of firearms and live cartridges without any valid license.Police said the accused were allegedly carrying the weapons in violation of the prohibitory orders issued by the Commissioner of Police, Brihanmumbai, regarding possession of arms.

According to officials, the Anti-Extortion Cell of the Mumbai Crime Branch received specific information from a confidential informant that a group of individuals would arrive in the Pydhonie area to sell firearms and ammunition illegally. Acting on the tip-off, a team conducted a raid at Hotel Elegant, Room No. 305, located on Narayan Dhuru Street in Pydhonie.

During the operation, five persons were found at the spot. Upon search, the police recovered three pistols along with magazines and a total of 21 live cartridges from their possession. When questioned about the license for the firearms and ammunition, the accused failed to produce any valid documents. They allegedly admitted that they had brought the weapons for sale.

Following the seizure, an FIR was registered at Pydhonie Police Station under Sections 3 and 25 of the Arms Act, along with Sections 37(1)(A) and 135.

Further investigation is underway to ascertain the source of the weapons and to determine whether the accused have any connections with organized criminal gangs, including the Bishnoi gang.

Accused Surendra Meena is resident of Bahura Dihod, Kota, Rajasthan, Rohit Meena of Tathed Dihod, Ladpura, Kota, Rajasthan, Kartik Parcha, of Asoda, Jhajjar, Haryana, Dipak Kumar Bil, is of Umedganj, Kota, Rajasthan and Ronu Ronak Merotha is resident of Tathed, Ladpura, Kota, Rajasthan. 5 silver-coloured firearms and 21 live rounds (cartridges) seized from accused.

Mumbai: The Anti-Narcotics Cell (Worli Unit) seized 45 ecstasy pills worth Rs 2.21 crore. The ANC booked on April 17 Eze Ezekiel Njoku, 39, a Nazeriam citizen for allegedly possessed drugs. 

The police said the Anti-Narcotics Cell’s Worli Unit, a police team was patrolling the Western Regional Division on the evening of April 16 on the instructions of senior officers. At around 11:15 pm, near the rear side of the ‘Sea Sand’ building on Shirley Rajan Road in Khar West, they noticed a foreign national behaving suspiciously. On seeing the police vehicle, he attempted to flee but was chased, intercepted, and detained.

During interrogation, the accused identified himself as Ije Ezekiel Njoku. He admitted that he was carrying cocaine and MDMA (ecstasy) pills in a blue side-pouch bag, which he intended to sell. A search conducted in the presence of independent witnesses led to the seizure of 213 grams of cocaine and 45 MDMA (ecstasy) pills weighing 24 grams.

The seized cocaine is estimated to be worth ₹2.14 crore, while the ecstasy pills are valued at ₹7.20 lakh, taking the total value of the contraband to ₹2.21 crore.

Police also recovered a Nigerian passport, visa, ₹400 in cash, and an iPhone from the accused. He is a resident of Nalasopara (East). All procedures under the NDPS Act were followed during the operation. A case has been registered at Khar Police Station, and further investigation is underway.

Mumbai: In a major breakthrough, Mumbai Police’s Anti-Narcotics Cell arrested a Nigerian national in Khar and seized cocaine worth crores along with a large quantity of MDMA tablets during a raid linked to the NESCO drugs party case. The case pertains to the drug case linked to the deaths of two youths at a concert in the NESCO Centre.

The arrest comes amid an ongoing crackdown on a suspected drug supply network operating around high-profile music events in Mumbai. Yesterday, the police also arrested the main accused from Poladpur in Raigad district while he was allegedly attempting to flee towards Goa. According to officials, the accused is suspected of distributing Ecstasy (MDMA) at the concert held on April 11, where two attendees died due to suspected drug overdose. He was intercepted and later handed over to the Vanrai Police for further investigation.

Meanwhile, the others who were arrested in the case were presented before the Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in Borivali on April 18. The court remanded three accused, Anand Patel, Vineet Gerelani, and Ayush Sahitya, to police custody till April 20, while the other accused were sent to judicial custody. The court granted 14 days’ judicial custody to student Raunak Khandelwal, event organiser Akash Samal, NESCO staff members Sunny Jain and Balkrishnan Kurup, and student Pratik Pandey.

The case began after Shreya Rai (24) and Bismaad Bhasin (28) died of an MDMA overdose. Another attendee, Seetal Salvi (25) remains under observation at Bombay Hospital.

In the investigation, the police noted that the suspects were regular attendees at NESCO Centre events, suggesting a larger network operating at such gatherings. While the concert was permitted only until 10pm, it reportedly continued until 12.30am. Alcohol was also allegedly served to individuals under the age of 25, including the deceased Rai, which is illegal. The victims are suspected to have consumed a lethal combination of both drugs and alcohol.