Ex-Bar Dancer Arrested In Rs 6-Crore Mumbai Drug Bust, 5,000 Pills Seized

Mumbai Police have arrested a former bar dancer in a major crackdown on drug trafficking, seizing 5,000 MDMA (ecstasy) pills valued at nearly Rs 6 crore from her residence on the outskirts of the city. The accused, identified as Ashwini Paul, is suspected to be a key link in a wider drug supply network operating across Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra, with investigators now probing her role in sourcing and distribution.

Paul, a native of Pune, was arrested on Sunday. Police said she later became a key link in a drug supply network operating across Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra. During the raid, police also seized five mobile phones and eight SIM cards from her possession.

According to investigators, Ashwini's entry into the drug trade began after her partner was sent to jail. While visiting him in prison, she came in contact with a drug trafficker named Irfan. Police said Irfan lured her into the illegal trade by promising quick money and gradually involved her in drug distribution.

Ashwini is educated only up to Class 10. She moved to Mumbai in 2012 in search of work and started working in a dance bar. Over time, she allegedly began supplying party drugs based on demand, spreading her network from Mumbai to several other parts of the state.

Police said she mainly targeted college-going youths and sold drug pills for prices ranging between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000.

Earlier, police had arrested Irfan Ansari and a man named Sufiyan from Saki Naka in Andheri East with 200 pills. Based on information received from them, the police traced the supply chain to Ashwini and carried out the raid at her residence.

The operation was conducted with caution. Before the raid at the Padmavati Royals society in Titwala town, police reportedly switched off the building's CCTV cameras to avoid alerting anyone.

Ashwini has been remanded to police custody till Wednesday. Investigators are now examining her mobile phone data and chats to identify her contacts and trace the source of the drugs. 

Police are also probing possible links with drug suppliers in Pune and Navi Mumbai, suspecting the involvement of a larger drug syndicate.

Police have said there is, for now, no direct link between this seizure and recent concert-related deaths in Goregaon. Further investigation is underway.

(With inputs from Ruttik Ganakwar)