Surat: Valsad police on Saturday recovered 2,779kg of tablets containing cannabis, worth Rs 13.88 crore, from multiple locations in Valsad district and the adjoining Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli Diu and Daman in two separate operations.In the first operation, a team raided the home of Mohammad Amin Basu Khan (46) at Chhiri village of Valsad and seized 388kg of cannabis-infused tablets, estimated to be worth Rs 1.93 crore. Khan was arrested on the spot.During interrogation, Khan disclosed that the consignment had been supplied by one Pradip alias Mannu Varma (28), a resident of neighbouring Dadra. Acting on the lead, police arrested Varma and conducted a search at his shop in Dadra, where they recovered 2,147kg of similar tablets, valued at Rs 10.73 crore.The combined seizure from these two locations was 2,535kg of cannabis tablets, worth Rs 12.67 crore. Officials said two other suspects believed to be part of the network — Anurag Gupta of Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh and Salman Siddiqi of Ghatkopar in Mumbai — are yet to be arrested.In the second operation, Dungra police seized 243kg of tablets containing cannabis worth Rs 1.21 crore and arrested Kartik alias Pappu Biswal. Police said the contraband had been stored at his home in Lakeview Residency in Dungra.Investigators said the role of one Banmali Patra has also emerged in the second case and efforts are on to trace and arrest him.Police said the accused allegedly sold pills made from a cannabis-mixed material that users chew for intoxication. Further investigation is underway to identify the source of supply and distribution channels, and to determine whether the seizures are linked to a larger interstate racket.
