Nagpur: The Crime Branch team busted a family-linked ganja smuggling racket and seized 85kg of marijuana worth over Rs49 lakh from an under-construction building in Jaripatka area late on Sunday night.Acting on a tip-off, senior inspector Mahesh Sagade and his team raided a room on the first floor of a building in Nirmal Colony on Nara Road. The tip-off was received by head constable Ajay Patil. The team recovered nine bags containing 85kg of ganja, three mobile phones, a weighing scale, and three four-wheelers, including a mini truck, a car, and another vehicle during the raid.The arrested accused are Firoz Khan Sardar Khan (49), and his brother-in-law Mohammad Shakeel (55), from Kundanlal Gupta Nagar in Yashodhara Nagar. Firoz, who doubled up as a grain merchant, was earlier arrested by Pachpaoli police station a few days back. Shakeel works as a plumber.During interrogation, the duo revealed they purchased the huge consignment from their accomplice Harpit Singh alias Happy, a resident of Kapil Nagar. Happy was arrested a few days ago in connection with another case.Khan and Shakeel admitted storing the ganja in the under-construction house and using the seized vehicles for buying and selling the narcotics. A case has been registered against the two at Jaripatka Police Station under Sections 8(a), 20(b)(ii)(c), and 29 of the NDPS Act. Both accused have been arrested and handed over to the Jaripatka police. Further investigation is underway to uncover the entire drug network.
