Navi Mumbai: In a major crackdown on crime and drug trafficking, the Navi Mumbai Police carried out a high-intensity midnight combing operation in the jurisdiction of the APMC Police Station on March 7. The surprise operation targeted history-sheeters, drug peddlers, and individuals involved in illegal activities. It led to the arrest of a Nigerian national allegedly dealing cocaine and the detention of suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.

To dismantle criminal networks operating in Zone 1, the police deployed a large team of approximately 20 officers and nearly 150 personnel from Zones 1, 2, and 3, along with members from the Police Headquarters, across the APMC area. The teams conducted coordinated searches in several locations, focusing on record-holding offenders and absconding criminals.

During the operation, police arrested a Nigerian national identified as King Fideless. Officials said he possessed 10 grams of high-grade cocaine, estimated to be worth around Rs 2.5 lakh in the international market. The contraband was seized, and further investigation is underway.

In another development, police apprehended a suspect named Najmul Sheikh, who allegedly carried an illegal country-made revolver with live ammunition. Authorities immediately confiscated the weapon and cartridge.

Senior Police Inspector Ajay Shinde of APMC Police Station stated that the teams conducted detailed searches in cold storage facilities, shipping containers, and slum areas near Green Park. “We are monitoring the movements of every criminal on record. I urge citizens to report any suspicious Bangladeshi nationals or drug-related activities in their vicinity. The identity of informants will be kept strictly confidential,” said Sr. PI Ajay Shinde.

The combing operation also extended to the Kopri area, where officers detained three suspicious women. Preliminary inquiries confirmed that two of them are Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in the area, while the identity and legal status of the third woman are still being verified.