NCB busts Maharashtra drug network, seizes 702 kg ganja, arrests 2 traffickers
Synopsis
NCB officers in Gondia uncovered 702 kg of ganja hidden inside grocery cargo — detergent, toothpaste, hair dye — en route from Odisha to syndicates in four Maharashtra cities. On the same day, a Thane court sentenced five traffickers in a linked synthetic drug case, with the kingpin drawing 15 years and assets worth over ₹5 crore seized. Maharashtra's drug supply chain is under coordinated pressure from both ends.
Key Takeaways
The NCB seized 702 kg of ganja and arrested two traffickers in Gondia, Maharashtra on 23 May .
The contraband was sourced from Odisha and destined for syndicates in Nagpur, Gondia, Pune , and Mumbai , concealed in grocery cargo.
The Special NDPS Court, Thane sentenced kingpin Mohammed Arif Yaqoob Bhujwala to 15 years' imprisonment and a fine of ₹2 lakh .
Four other traffickers received sentences ranging from one to five years in the same synthetic drug case.
Assets worth more than ₹5 crore linked to Bhujwala and over ₹1.5 crore linked to Parvez Khan were seized or frozen.
The investigation originated on 20 January 2021 with the recovery of 52.2 grams of Mephedrone in Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai .
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested two drug traffickers and seized 702 kg of ganja after dismantling a major interstate trafficking network in Gondia, Maharashtra, officials confirmed on Saturday, 23 May. The contraband, sourced from Odisha, was destined for drug syndicates operating across Nagpur, Gondia, Pune, and Mumbai.
How the Contraband Was Concealed
The 702 kg of ganja was packed into 100 packets and camouflaged within grocery cargo — hidden among everyday items such as detergent, toothpaste, and hair dye. The sophisticated concealment method points to an organised operation designed to evade routine cargo checks along the interstate supply chain.
Separate Case: Five Traffickers Sentenced in Mumbai Court
In a separate but related development, the Special NDPS Court in Thane delivered sentences to five drug traffickers in a synthetic drug trafficking case, including the network's kingpin. The sentences range from one year to 15 years of imprisonment.
Kingpin Mohammed Arif Yaqoob Bhujwala, a resident of Mumbai's Chinchbunder, was handed the maximum sentence of 15 years' imprisonment along with a fine of ₹2 lakh, according to the NCB's Mumbai Zonal Unit. Parvez Khan alias 'Chinku Pathan' and Mohammed Salman Khan, both of Chinchbunder, along with Vikrant Jain of Bhiwandi, Thane, each received five years' imprisonment and a fine of ₹50,000. Haris Faizullah Khan of Bandra West, Mumbai, was sentenced to one year's imprisonment and fined ₹10,000.
Assets Frozen, Drug Proceeds Seized
The financial investigation yielded significant asset recoveries. Properties belonging to Parvez Khan alias Chinku Pathan — comprising two movable and three immovable assets — were frozen, with a combined value exceeding ₹1.5 crore.
The probe into kingpin Mohammed Arif Bhujwala resulted in the seizure of drug sale proceeds in cash, along with eight movable and four immovable properties collectively valued at more than ₹5 crore.
How the Investigation Began
The case traces back to 20 January 2021, when NCB Mumbai officers, acting on specific intelligence, conducted a search operation at Ghansoli in Navi Mumbai. Officers apprehended Parvez Naserullah Khan, a known history-sheeter and drug trafficker, recovering 52.2 grams of Mephedrone (MD) from his possession. That initial seizure unravelled the wider synthetic drug network that ultimately led to the Thane court convictions.
The twin developments — the Gondia ganja bust and the Thane sentencing — signal an intensified NCB push against Maharashtra's multi-city drug supply chains. Further operations are expected as financial investigations into associated networks continue.
Point of View
It is a rehearsed technique — and the NCB's growing use of financial investigation as a parallel lever. Seizing ₹5 crore in assets alongside a 15-year sentence is the kind of structural deterrence that pure enforcement rarely achieves. The Odisha-to-Maharashtra corridor is not new; it has been flagged in prior NCB reports. What is new is the coordinated pressure on both supply and sentencing simultaneously. Whether that pressure holds depends on whether asset recovery translates into disrupted reinvestment — the metric that rarely makes headlines but matters most.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the NCB seize in the Gondia, Maharashtra drug bust?
The NCB seized 702 kg of ganja packed in 100 packets, concealed within grocery cargo items such as detergent, toothpaste, and hair dye. Two drug traffickers were arrested in connection with the operation.
Where was the seized ganja sourced from and where was it headed?
The contraband was sourced from Odisha and was destined for drug syndicates operating in Nagpur, Gondia, Pune , and Mumbai in Maharashtra.
Who was sentenced in the Thane NDPS court case?
Five traffickers were sentenced: kingpin Mohammed Arif Yaqoob Bhujwala received 15 years ; Parvez Khan , Mohammed Salman Khan , and Vikrant Jain received five years each ; and Haris Faizullah Khan received one year .
How much in assets were seized from the convicted traffickers?
Assets worth more than ₹5 crore — including cash, eight movable, and four immovable properties — were seized from kingpin Bhujwala. Properties valued at over ₹1.5 crore belonging to Parvez Khan were frozen.
How did the synthetic drug trafficking investigation begin?
The case began on 20 January 2021 , when NCB Mumbai officers recovered 52.2 grams of Mephedrone from Parvez Naserullah Khan during a search operation at Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai , which then unravelled the larger network.
