Drug Trafficking Mastermind Arrested in Nashik After 20-Day Manhunt
In a significant breakthrough, the alleged mastermind of a major drug trafficking racket, Shaikh Ashfak Shaikh Isaq, was apprehended from a hotel at Nashik's Wadala Naka late on Wednesday. Ashfak had been evading arrest for the past 20 days, constantly moving across India and even suspected of visiting Nepal to avoid capture.
Coordinated Police Operation Leads to Arrest
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar police commissioner Pravin Pawar revealed on Thursday that Ashfak's frequent interstate movements had complicated tracking efforts. "We received specific information that he had reached Nashik. Swift action was initiated, and with the help of the Nashik police, he was arrested. He tried to resist and flee at the time of arrest, forcing the police to use mild force," Pawar stated.
Two of Ashfak's associates, Pathan Dawood Munawar Khan and Sarfaraz Mirza Hafiz Beg, were also nabbed in the operation. Police officers indicated that Ashfak was involved in peddling cough syrup and sleeping pills, and due to his alleged drug addiction, resistance was anticipated. The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city police coordinated with Nashik police commissioner Sandeep Karnik and local teams to execute the arrest.
Seizures and Ongoing Investigations
During the operation, authorities seized a car and Rs 4,74,500 in cash from Ashfak, while mobile phones were recovered from his associates. Crime branch inspector Gajanan Kalyankar confirmed that the total value of the seized property stands at Rs 19,44,500.
Police commissioner Pawar emphasized that Ashfak operated through intermediaries, and law enforcement is closely monitoring those financially backing the racket. So far, 22 members of his gang, including a woman accused, have been arrested. The police obtained a transfer warrant against the woman, Ishrat Akeeb Sheikh, and another accused, Sheikh Fardeen Abdul Razzaq of Shahabazar, was also taken into custody.
Broader Crackdown and Legal Actions
Deputy commissioner of Police Ratnakar Navale disclosed that the police sought cooperation from the municipal corporation to verify the legality of constructions at the residences of 60 accused linked to drug peddling rackets. "We will strike at the roots of these accused," DCP Navale asserted, noting repeated offences from certain buildings. This step is seen as a potential precursor to bulldozer action, with anti-encroachment drives underway.
CP Pawar announced that action under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) will be initiated against drug trafficking gangs, with close monitoring of their financiers. Over the past three years, the anti-narcotics cell has arrested 731 accused, many housed in distant prisons across Maharashtra.
Highlighting the extensive crackdown, assistant commissioner (crime) Ashok Rajput reported that 12 gangs in the city have been booked under MCOCA, resulting in the arrest of 85 accused. This arrest marks a critical step in dismantling organized drug networks in the region.
