Mumbai Police arrested Danish Merchant, also known as Danish Chikna, a key operative in gangster Dawood Ibrahim's drug network, on Friday. Merchant, notorious for managing Dawood's narcotics operations in the Dongri area, was apprehended alongside his associate, Kader Ghulam Sheikh.
According to police sources, Merchant was a wanted figure in the ongoing investigation into a drug racket. This high-profile arrest follows months of meticulous police work, which began unravelling the network after two prior arrests in November. On November 8, Mohammed Ashikur Sahidur Rahman was caught near Marine Lines Station carrying 144 grams of drugs. Under interrogation, Rahman disclosed that his supply came from Rehan Shakeel Ansari in Dongri. Acting on Rahman&rsquo;s confession, police arrested Ansari and seized an additional 55 grams of narcotics. Ansari then revealed his own supplier: Danish Merchant, along with another accomplice known as Qadir Fanta.
For several weeks, police tracked Merchant and Fanta, both of whom had gone into hiding. Acting on a tip-off, officers pinpointed their location in Dongri and executed a calculated operation on December 13, leading to the capture of both suspects. During questioning, Merchant and Sheikh reportedly confessed to their roles in the drug distribution ring.
Merchant&rsquo;s criminal history stretches back years. In 2019, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) dismantled Dawood Ibrahim&rsquo;s drug factory in Dongri, seizing narcotics valued at crores of rupees. Merchant was arrested in Rajasthan during that operation and served time in jail before his recent release.
The arrests mark another significant blow to Dawood&rsquo;s criminal empire, with authorities continuing to investigate links within the sprawling drug syndicate.
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Danish Chikna in police custody (file photo)

Danish Chikna, Dawood Ibrahim's Dongri drug czar, arrested after a multi-tier probe

Key Associate of Dawood Nabbed in Drug Racket Bust

Danish Chikna, Dawood Ibrahim's Dongri drug czar, arrested after a multi-tier probe

December 15, 2024 | 15:01 IST