A Special NDPS Court in Thane, Mumbai on Thursday, 21 May sentenced five accused in a synthetic drug trafficking case to terms ranging from 15 years to one year, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) announced. The verdict closes a case that began with a targeted raid in January 2021 and unravelled an organised mephedrone supply network operating out of Chinchbunder in Mumbai.

The Sentences

The court handed the stiffest punishment to kingpin Mohammed Arif Yaqoob Bhujwala, a resident of Chinchbunder, sentencing him to 15 years' imprisonment and a fine of ₹2 lakh, the NCB's Mumbai Zonal Unit said. Parvez Khan alias 'Chinku Pathan' and Mohammed Salman Khan, both from Chinchbunder, along with Vikrant Jain of Bhiwandi, Thane, each received five years' imprisonment and a fine of ₹50,000. Haris Faizullah Khan, a resident of Bandra West, Mumbai, was sentenced to one year's imprisonment and fined ₹10,000.

Assets Seized and Frozen

Financial investigations ran parallel to the criminal proceedings and yielded significant recoveries. Properties belonging to Parvez Khan alias Chinku Pathan — comprising two movable and three immovable assets — were frozen, with a combined value of more than ₹1.5 crore. The probe into kingpin Arif Bhujwala resulted in the seizure and confirmation of drug-sale proceeds in cash, eight movable properties, and four immovable properties collectively valued at more than ₹5 crore, the NCB said.

How the Case Began

The investigation traces back to 20 January 2021, when NCB Mumbai officers, acting on precise intelligence, conducted a search operation at Ghansoli in Navi Mumbai and apprehended known history-sheeter and drug trafficker Parvez Naserullah Khan. Officers recovered 52.2 grams of Mephedrone (MD) from his possession. The search also yielded an unlicensed pistol with five live rounds, cash of ₹12,500 suspected to be drug proceeds, and precious metal ornaments valued at ₹3.57 lakh allegedly acquired from illicit earnings, according to the NCB's statement.

The Network Unravelled

Disclosures made during interrogation, combined with technical investigation, pointed to Mohd. Arif Bhujwala as the supplier and financier running an organised synthetic drug trafficking network from Chinchbunder. NCB teams subsequently conducted follow-up searches across multiple premises linked to Bhujwala. Separately, Vikrant Jain alias Vicky Jain was found to be both financing trafficking operations and directly engaging in illicit trade. A search at his Bhiwandi premises yielded 52.8 grams of Mephedrone, including contraband mixed with pan masala and tobacco products. Financial records and banking instruments recovered during the search established his dual role as financier and trafficker, the NCB said.

Significance of the Verdict

The convictions mark one of the more comprehensive NDPS outcomes for the NCB's Mumbai Zonal Unit in recent years, combining criminal sentencing with substantial asset recovery. The case also highlights the bureau's increasing focus on financial investigation alongside narcotics seizure — a model that prosecutors argue is more effective at dismantling supply networks than seizure alone. With assets worth more than ₹6.5 crore attached across the accused, the verdict sends a signal on proceeds-of-crime accountability under the NDPS framework.