Psychotropic drugs worth Rs 10 L seized; pharmacist arrested

Aurangabad: A team of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) of city police caught a pharmacist while trying to sell stolen Diazepam (psychotropic narcotic) drugs in Waluj area on Wednesday.

Police seized 555 gm of drugs, the black market of which is Rs 10 lakh. Police inspector of the Crime Branch Avinash Aghav said that a case was registered with MIDC Waluj Police Station against the accused.

According to details, assistant inspector of NDPS team Hareshwar Ghuge received information that the accused Ganesh Dagdu Lalge (36, Ranjangaon Shenpunji, Gangapur) would arrive at NRP Chowk (Waluj) to sell Diazepam which is used to provide sedation to a patient before medical procedures.

Acting on a tip-off, a team comprising PSI Ghuge, ASI Naseem Khan, constable Mahesh Ugle, Dhramaraj Gaikwad, Nitin Deshmukh, Suresh Bhise, Prajakta Waghmare and Dutta Dubhalkar laid a trap at NRP Chowk while head constable Vishal Sonawne from the NDPS made a dummy customer to nab the accused.

As soon as Ganesh arrived in the area, the police caught him.

He was frisked in presence of a Government panch and found a bag containing 555 gm Diazepam. Its Government value is Rs 5.55 lakh while in the black market, it is valued at Rs 10 lakh. The action was taken under the guidance of assistant commissioner of police Vishal Dhume and PI Aghav.

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Drugs stolen from medicine company

The accused was employed at Red Cross Medicine Company as a pharmacist. During the interrogation, he confessed to stealing drugs from the company in small quantities regularly. He had left the job at the company only recently.