Palghar, Jul 29 (PTI) Police have arrested a 53-year-old Nigerian national after seizing mephedrone valued at Rs 1.02 crore from his possession in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, officials said on Wednesday.
A case was also registered against the owner of the property where the accused was staying on rent for allegedly facilitating the offence by renting out the premises without conducting the mandatory verification of the foreign national, they said.
The police’s anti-terrorism cell had received a tip-off that some foreign nationals were engaged in the sale of narcotic substances from a flat in the Nalasopara area of Palghar district, Tulinj police station’s senior inspector Amar Marathe told PTI.
Acting on the input, the police carried out a search of the Nigerian national, identified as Justine Usifo alias Michael Grace, and the premises on Monday, he said.
During the search, they recovered 2.054 kg of mephedrone valued at Rs 1,02,75,000, the official said.
The investigation further indicated that the accused had been staying in the rented premises without proper verification by the property owner.
A case has been registered against the accused under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the Immigration and Foreigners Act, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Marathe said.
The police urged people to strictly comply with police verification norms before renting accommodation to foreign nationals. PTI COR GK
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