Mumbai: The Mumbai Police have demolished the residence and a gymnasium of alleged drug peddler Yaseen Qureshi alias Tasu (48) in Vikhroli and ordered his externment from city limits citing his continued involvement in narcotics trafficking and criminal activities.He is among the 50 criminals in the eastern region who have been externed from the city limits. Police said Tasu, a resident of Tagore Nagar in Vikhroli, has multiple criminal cases registered between 2014 and 2026. He has been externed for 18 months starting March this year.Police officials said Qureshi had been on the radar of law enforcement agencies for several years, with multiple cases registered against him under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Officials stated that Qureshi had allegedly converted his residence into a hub for illegal activities. The premises also included a high-end gym reportedly built using proceeds from drug trafficking.Justifying the demolition DCP Hemraj Rajput said, “We had found in our investigation that he had constructed a ground plus three storey structure from the proceeds of the crime and it was totally illegal. We pursued it with the BMC and Mhada and got it demolished.”Acting on this information, civic officials, along with police personnel, carried out a demolition drive, razing portions of the structure identified as unauthorized and linked to criminal proceeds. “Our investigations showed that he was actively engaged in the distribution of narcotic substances across several parts of Mumbai, particularly targeting vulnerable youths, and hence after externing him from the city limits, we identified the properties he had made through the proceeds of crime and after discussions with commissioner of police and BMC and Mhada officials, we supervised the illegal residence as a gym,” said an official.DCP Rajput said that the action was taken as part of a broader strategy to dismantle the infrastructure supporting the narcotics trade. “The accused continued his illegal activities despite repeated warnings and legal action. His externment has been ordered to prevent further harm to society,” he said. The externment order bars Qureshi from entering Mumbai and adjoining districts for a specified period.Police sources added that the move is intended to send a strong message to drug offenders that illegal gains will not only lead to arrest but also loss of assets and displacement from their area of influence.
