Two arrested with narcotics worth Rs 3 lakh in joint Army-Pune Police operation

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], July 20 (ANI): In a joint operation carried out by the Army Intelligence Unit (5 Det SCIB) and the Anti-Narcotic Cell-1 of Pune City Police, two civilians were apprehended for possession of narcotic substances, an official said.
According to Police officials, "Acting on specific intelligence input, enforcement agencies identified the suspects as Abhinav Pradeep Gupta (22) and Irshad Iftikar Sheikh (27), both residents of Pune. Following surveillance and verification, both individuals were apprehended at approximately 5:25 p.m. on Friday."
During the operation, the joint team recovered 10.21 grams of MD (Mephedrone) valued at Rs 2.04 lakh, 8.32 grams of OG (suspected high-grade cannabis) worth Rs 83,000, and 41 grams of Ganja worth Rs 820. In addition to the drugs, one sedan car and three mobile phones were also seized, bringing the total value of the seizure to approximately Rs 3 lakh.
The accused are currently being jointly interrogated by officials from the Army Intelligence Unit and the Anti-Narcotic Cell-1 of Pune Police. Authorities are also investigating possible deeper links, and the involvement of service personnel has not been ruled out.
Meanwhile, police have registered a case against both accused under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and further investigation is underway.
Earlier on Friday, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Pune, arrested a foreign national woman for allegedly smuggling crystal methamphetamine worth Rs 7.63 crore. The seizure was made following a meticulously planned operation based on specific intelligence inputs, the DRI stated.
According to a press release by the agency, DRI Pune received a tip-off that a female foreign national would be travelling from Delhi to Bengaluru by bus, carrying psychotropic substances concealed in her luggage. Acting swiftly on this information, officers from DRI Pune Regional Unit, along with Pune Customs, mounted surveillance along the Mumbai-Bangalore Highway and intercepted the suspected passenger while she was in transit. (ANI)