The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Tuesday arrested four more accused in connection with Saturday’s sensational drug bust on a cruise ship off Mumbai coast, taking the total number of people arrested in the case to 12 so far.
Incidentally, two of the four fresh arrestees are residents of Civil Township area of Rourkela in Odisha, the NCB stated.
The duo has been identified as Manish Rajgaria (30) and Avin Sahoo (30) while the other two are Abdul Kadar Sheikh (30) and Shreyas Nair (23). They are residents of Jogeshwari and Goregaon (east) respectively. All four have been remanded to the NCB custody till October 11.
The NCB, which produced the foursome in the special NDPS court today, said that 2.4 gram of ganja had been seized from Manish while Avin has confessed to have consumed ganja twice on board the cruise liner during the rave party. Both were intercepted after the ship was docked at the Mumbai port for the second time on Monday.
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As per the NCB, both Avin and Manish had joined the party as guests. Following their arrest, the NCB allowed both of them to speak to their families and avail legal aid.
It is not clear from where they had procured the drugs or consumed it even as the NCB told the court that they will be interrogated to reveal the source.
Sources said four to five people who are friends of the duo are also believed to be present at the cruise party.
The details of the two arrested persons from Odisha whether they were residing in Mumbai for educational or professional purposes is yet to be ascertained. The family members of the two accused have also not commented before the media following the arrest.
Meanwhile, the NCB sleuths have recovered 2.5 gms of Ecstacy and 54.3 gm of Mephedrone (MD) from the possession of Abdul Kadar while 2 gms of Charas was found on Shreyas. The contraband recovered from Abdul Kadar’s possession is of commercial quantity and he is suspected to be one of the organisers of the drug party.
NCB sources said that the tip-off on Abdul Kadir and Sheryas was obtained during the questioning of two of the 8 accused arrested in the case on Monday. Film Star Shahrukh Khan’s son Aaryan was among them.
The NCB in the remand application made in the court said that the agency has in possession several technical information, including WhatsApp chat messages to prove that the arrested accused were in touch with several suspected drug peddlers who would be identified and brought to book soon.
Moreover, it is suspected that Dark Net was extensively used to send invitations to the patrons and purchasing contraband using cryptocurrency with a view to dodge surveillance by enforcement agencies.