Maha ATS drug bust: Freezing of property ordered under SAFEMA

A year after a major operation by the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad netted drugs and cash totaling Rs 60.1 crore, the competent authority under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators Act (SAFEMA) ordered freezing of property of the accused, an official said on Friday. The raid by the Vikhroli unit of ATS recovered 146.143 kilograms of mephedrone worth Rs 58.55 crore, Rs 1.55 crore in cash and three vehicles, and 13 persons were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, an official said.

The accused had bought property, including a plot in MIDC Shirala in Sangli in the name of one Sardar Patil, a flat at Panvel in Raigad valued at Rs 35.10 lakh, a plot in Panvel worth Rs 12.72 lakh and another piece of land valued at Rs 32.93 lakh in the name of Kaisuddin Siddiqui, an ATS statement said. Gold and silver ornaments worth Rs 41.32 lakh, seven foreign-made wrist watches and foreign currency were recovered from accused Mohammed Tanvir Abdul Aziz Paryani, who has links with fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim's operations, it said.

The freezing order was issued by SAFEMA authorities on the basis of the ATS probe and a demand made by the latter for such action..