Gujarat Police on Wednesday arrested a vegetable vendor from Thane and seized over 17kg heroin and methaphetamine worth approximately Rs 88.25 crore in the international market, from Khambhaliya in Devbhoomi Dwarka district.
This is second seizure of drugs in the state. In September, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence had seized over 3,000kg heroin worth Rs 21,000 crore, from Mundra Port in Kutch.
Thane-resident Shehzad Ghoshi was arrested from near Aradhna Dham, a religious place. Sandeep Singh, DIG of Rajkot Range, told mediapersons that Special Operations Group and local Crime Branch, acting on a tip-off, arrested him while he was waiting for a bus to Thane.
Ghoshi, 44, came to Devbhoomi Dwarka three days ago, and Singh said they found his movements suspicious.
Ghoshi, reportedly, told the police that Salim and Ali Kara supplied the heroin to him, after which their houses were raided.
The police have seized 47 packets but are yet to confirm whether they contain heroin.
Sources said it's possible that the consignment came through the sea route from Pakistan.
MoS for Home Harsh Sanghavi lauded the police for the arrest and seizure, and said that since Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel took over, the focus is on the drugs menace.
He said, in the ast 55 days, as many as 58 cases have been registered and 5,756kg of different drugs have been seized. More than 90 persons have been arrested from different parts of the state, including Ahmedabad and Surat.
