Kingpin of ‘button pills’ racket held in Jalna

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Kadim Jalna police have arrested the alleged kingpin of an illegal narcotics racket involving the supply of "button pills", with a crackdown leading to the seizure of psychotropic tablets and cough syrups worth several thousand rupees, the officials said.The latest arrest is that of Girish Latad (61), a pharmacist from Deolgaon Raja in Buldhana district, who, the police believe, was the main supplier in the network.The action follows a raid conducted on April 28 near Sai Kirti Hotel under the old Jalna bridge in the Nutan Vasahat area, after a tip about illegal sale of intoxicating tablets. Two accused — Syed Salman Syed Gaffar of Old Jalna and Karan Surendrasingh Thakur (30) — were initially arrested from the spot.Jalna superintendent of police Teghbir Singh Sandhu said the investigation subsequently uncovered a wider supply chain. "It appears that Latad was the main supplier in the racket. He was apprehended during the follow-up investigation," he said.Police registered a case under BNS sections 123, 278 and 3(5), along with relevant provisions of the NDPS Act and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940."During the investigation, we identified and detained the main supplier of these tablets and medicines. Investigation is underway to trace additional links," said Kadim Jalna inspector Janardhan Shewale.SP Sandhu said, "We are keeping a close watch on networks involved in the supply of such substances, and strict action will continue," he said.The operation was carried out jointly by Kadim Jalna police and officials of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).