Found abandoned in sea, fisherman tries to sell hashish worth Rs 80 lakh, arrested

Accused Abhay Parshuram Pagdhare, 42, is a fisherman from Dahanu taluka in Palghar district.

Crime branch unit-5 senior inspector Vikas Ghodke recently received reliable information that a suspect is likely to come to ‘I Love Majiwada’ junction in Thane along with some narcotics substance to further sell it to another person for peddling them in Mumbai.

Acting on the information under the supervision of police commissioner and other officers, Ghodke’s team on Wednesday nabbed Pagdhare from the spot.

A bag was found in his possession and 8 kilograms of Charas was seized from it, the police said.

During interrogation, he revealed that his brother had found the drug packet off the coast near Gujarat. He handed it over to Pagdhare, who was attempting to sell it to make some quick money, a crime branch officer said.

The seized drugs is said to be part of a big drug consignment that was found abandoned off the Raigad and Ratnagiri beaches last year.

First, over 278 kg of hashish was found on seven different beaches of Ratnagiri from August 14 to 22. Later, 175 packets of hashish weighing a total of 209.13 kg worth ₹8.36 crore were found on five beaches on the Raigad coast.

“Many fishermen had found the drugs packets, but they all have returned it to the police. But few of them did not. Later some of them were arrested too. We suspect Pagdhare and his brother could be from that lot. We are checking Pagdhare’s brother’s involvement,” said another police officer.