Mira-Bhayandar: The anti-narcotics cell (ANC) attached to the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police have arrested two people including an auto-rickshaw driver and a woman hailing from South Africa who were found to be in possession of narcotic substance mephedrone (MD) worth more than Rs.1.04 crore.

A patrolling unit from the ANC led by police inspector-Sachin Kamble spotted the suspects on the road leading to Hanuman Temple in Nallasopara on Saturday. Finding their behaviour suspicious, the ANC personnel stopped them for questioning to which they doled out evasive and unsatisfactory replies.

Upon frisking the woman and the auto-rickshaw driver were found to be in possession of 506 grams and 14.6 grams MD, respectively. The collective value of the consignment is pegged at more than Rs. 1.04 crore in the international market.

The ANC seized the contraband and registered an offence under the relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 at the Nallasopara police station against the duo who have been remanded to police custody.

Apart from trying to find out the source of the drugs and potential buyers, the ANC is conducting verification of documents to ascertain the legality of the woman’s stay in the country who was currently living in the Pragati Nagar area of Nallasopara.