Notorious drug smuggler Roma Arif Shaikh alias ‘Pagli’, 37, was arrested and sent to jail for one year on Tuesday by Mumbai’s Anti-Narcotics Cell for smuggling mephedrone (MD).  

Investigation revealed that Roma, who already faces eight cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, is the ringleader of a drug network operating in Mumbai. 

Byculla police had previously taken preventive action against her under Section 110 of the Criminal Procedure Code. However, Roma resumed dealing drugs as soon as she was released. 

Following this, the Anti-Narcotics Cell prepared a report against her under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988 (PIT-NDPS), and submitted it to the Home Department, Government of Maharashtra, through Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti.

After the report was approved, Roma was served a detention order on Tuesday and taken into custody at Maharashtra’s Kolhapur Jail.