Panaji: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested Danish Chikna, a close aide of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and the alleged “kingpin” of a drug syndicate, from Goa, officials said on Wednesday.
Danish Chikna, alias Danish Merchant, who had been on the run, was handling operations of a drug network linked to Dawood’s gang in the country, an official said.
The NCB has arrested Danish and three others and seized 1.341 kg of mephedrone from their possession, he added.
Based on intelligence inputs, the NCB Mumbai on September 18 intercepted a person in Pune, from whom 502 gm of mephedrone was seized.
In a follow-up operation, 839 gm of the contraband was recovered from another drug associate at the residence of Danish and his wife in Mumbai, the official said.
During the investigation, Danish — described as the “kingpin” — and his wife were identified as key operators of the drug syndicate. They had been absconding and travelled across multiple states to evade tracking, the official added.
After intensive surveillance and follow-up action, the duo was traced to a holiday resort in Goa.
The NCB team apprehended them from the resort on October 25. Following interrogation, both were placed under arrest, the NCB confirmed in a statement.
Danish is a habitual drug offender. The NCB and Rajasthan Police had previously registered three cases against him under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, according to officials.
The Mumbai Police have also registered seven criminal cases against him. He had earlier been externed from Mumbai, with orders to stay outside the municipal limits, the statement said.
