Shimla Drug Racket Busted: 1 Arrested, 465 gm Drugs Seized

Apple trader turns into a drug dealer. Police busted a large drug racket in upper Shimla region, a day after they seized 465 grams of ‘chitta’ from Kharapathar, this year’s biggest catch. One person, Mudasir Ahmed Mochi from Jammu and Kashmir, was arrested. A further investigation led the police to Shashi Negi, who was heading the racket, disguising it behind his apple trading business.

Shashi Negi, also known as Shahi Mahatma, was an apple trader, had been secretly running an interstate heroin racket for over five years. His network, which involves 40 associates, had been supplying a drug called ‘Chitta’ (adulterated heroin) in various areas of Upper Shimla.

About The Racket

Drug orders were solely placed over WhatsApp. No one was in direct communication with the other parties. Shashi Negi served as the sole intermediary between the customers and suppliers, there was never a face-to-face meeting between the delivery guy and the deliverer.Before drugs reach the buyer, they would go through at least four separate persons for security measures. 

The delivery person would conceal the drugs, send the buyer a video, and the buyer would pick them up from there in order to avoid being discovered. Many bank accounts were used to pay for the drugs. Many of the account holders were unaware that their money was being laundered illegally.

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A larger Network

Negi had connections with Nigerian drug gangs in New Delhi, other gangs in Haryana, and people in Kashmir, indicating the spread of this drug racket across North india, as per the Police. 

Over the past 15 months, a staggering Rs 2.5–3 crore in suspicious transactions were found in Negi’s accounts. So far, police have arrested 25 people from this gang and registered five FIRs under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Police’s effort to combat drug dealing ? More patrols and monitoring schools have been increased bt the police to combat drug-related activities. The police in Shimla have been working with local residents who provide information. In the past 18 months, this system has helped register 650 drug-related cases and arrest 1,100 drug peddlers, including 205 from outside the state.

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