PUNE: The Pune crime branch arrested a 58-year-old man and seized 122g of synthetic drug Mephedrone (meow meow) worth Rs 2.44 lakh from him.
Gulam Hussain Azad, a resident of Sachapir Street in Camp, was arrested with the stock following a tip-off received by police constable Avinash Shinde.
“We had received a tip-off stating that a person would be coming near a theatre on East Street carrying a large consignment of meow meow. We laid a trap and arrested Azad,” said Fattesinh Patil, inspector of the crime branch (anti-narcotics cell). “We found 122g of meow meow worth Rs 2.44 lakh with him. We have also seized a scooter worth Rs 50,000 and Rs 4,200 in cash from him,” he added.
Azad was earlier arrested by Narcotics Control Bureau, Mumbai in 2010 for possessing narcotics substances.
Patil said prima facie investigations have revealed that Azad’s parents were Irani nationals. “Though Azad claims that he is an Indian national, we are verifying his documents. His passport is with Narcotics Control Bureau in Mumbai,” he said.
Police are investigating as to where did he get the drug from and also how did he manage to get it to the city unchecked, Patil said.
The anti-narcotics cell of the Pune crime branch have seized 41g of meow meow in four cases in the past three months. “Five persons, including three from Mumbai, have been arrested in these cases,” police said.
