Four arrested for robbing trailers, Rs 1.8 crore copper seized

MUMBAI: The property cell of the city crime branch has arrested a gang of four highway robbers that used to rob containers and trailers carrying industrial goods. The gang would then sell off the goods in Gujarat.

The police have recovered 31 tonnes of

copper

worth Rs 1.81 crore that the gang had robbed last month from Palghar. An officer said this seizure is most likely just a tip of the iceberg as the gang must have robbed several transporters on the Mumbai-Gujarat highway. The accused have been identified as Mohsin Ashraf Baloch (31), Sarfaraz

Abdul Sattar Khan

(24),

Aftez Ali Khan

(29) and Wasim Ahmed Shaikh (29). While Aftez and Sarfaraz have been handed over to the

Palghar

police in the copper robbery case, Washim and Mohsin are still in the property cell's custody in a motor vehicle theft case in Mumbai.

A source said the gang initially stole cars but then upgraded to robbing trailers coming out of

JNPT

. "They would follow trailers up to a remote place like Ghodbunder Road or Mumbai-Gujarat highway where they would accost and overpower the driver and the cleaner," said investigating officer Laxmikant Salunke, property cell. The gang would keep the driver hostage and change the container truck head to avoid being tracked via GPS, said inspectors Rahimatullah Sayyed and Sunil Bazare.