Police arrests man, woman for selling new intoxicant

The MRA Marg police has arrested two people for peddling a new type of intoxicant.

The accused used to sell small bottles of alcohol that was made from varnish and a combination of chemicals. The police has booked them under the Narcotics Act to ensure they receive the maximum punishment and has also sent the liquid for chemical analysis.

According to police officials, on May 2, when a team of police officials was patrolling the area of MRA Marg police station near St. George Hospital, Dhobi Ghat, they found a man and woman standing with the big plastic bag and a box with them.

Senior police official Sukhlal Varpe said, “Our team immediately stopped the duo and asked them what the bag contained. For the first five minutes they had given us random answers, which was not at all satisfactory. So our team checked the bags and they had found small brown bottles, which had a strong smell. The duo were taken to the police station. After being interrogated they confessed that they called the liquid ‘solution’ and were selling it in the market.”

“We have seized three cans of five litres of the liquid from their house. One can had the word ‘methylenedioxyphenyl’ written on it. Also, 674 bottles of the solution were seized from the place,” Mr Varpe added.

According to officials, addicts were using this solution as a drug. They would inhale the scent of the liquid from the bottle or put it on handkerchief and sniff it.

Talking about the investigation into the matter, DCP Manojkumar Sharma said, “We have arrested the sellers, who are living here, but we came to know that manufacturers exist, who are working from outside. We are searching for them. Meanwhile, we have sent this liquid to the forensic laboratory fortesting and we will soon get the results.”