Drug Lords Wanted In Maharashtra Arrested By UP Special Task Force

The Special Task Force of Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday arrested two men wanted in a drugs case in Maharashtra while trying to slip to Nepal.

Abhishek Bilas Balakwade and Bhushan Anil Patil, involved in a case related to the recovery of drugs worth Rs 300 crore in Maharashtra, were arrested by the STF in a joint operation with the Pune Crime Branch of Maharashtra Police.

The two were arrested from Bahraich turn in Nagar Kotwali area of Barabanki district, an STF release issued here said.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, Pune, Sunil Tambe, who was part of the operation, had earlier visited the STF in Lucknow to apprise it of the presence of the main accused in the 150 kg-MDMA seizure in Maharashtra, with a warning that they may be trying to escape to Nepal.

According to STF, both men were wanted in many other drug trafficking cases in Pune and Nashik districts.

The two were also allegedly part of the conspiracy to get Maharashtra's biggest drug mafia Lalit Patil escape police custody on October 2.

It was revealed during interrogation that Bhushan Anil Patil is the younger brother of Lalit Patil and Abhishek Bilas is the manager of Lalit Patil's drugs network.

The two told police that they, along with Lalit Patil, had been manufacturing MDMA since 2014 and supplying the banned drug for use in pubs and rave parties.

The gang had set up factories first in Aurangabad and then in Pune and Nashik to manufacture the narcotic, popularly known as Ecstasy.

The accused after legal proceedings were handed over to the Pune team, the release said.

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