Police apprehend suspect and recover stolen van while investigating vehicle theft, uncovering major cattle smuggling operation.

Police in Mira-Bhayandar uncovered a shocking cattle smuggling racket while investigating vehicle thefts in the region. The crime branch unit (Zone III) of the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) stumbled upon the operation after receiving a complaint about a stolen Maruti Suzuki Eeco van.

Initially, the theft was believed to be the work of car lifters targeting Eeco vans for their valuable silencers containing platinum, palladium, and rhodium metals. However, upon further investigation, police discovered a larger criminal network at play.

Led by police inspector Pramod Badhaakh, the team utilized CCTV footage, informers, and electronic surveillance to track down and arrest Arbaaz Ati Misaal, a member of a gang involved in cattle thefts in various areas. The gang would transport the stolen cattle in the vans, sedating them and cramming them into the vehicles before selling them to slaughterhouses.

Misaal, who has a history of offenses under multiple laws including the IPC, Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act, and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, was found in possession of the stolen van and has been remanded to custody. The police are now on the lookout for other gang members, including car thieves and cattle catchers involved in the illegal operation.

The shocking discovery has shed light on the interconnected web of criminal activities in the region, with authorities vowing to crack down on such heinous crimes and bring all perpetrators to justice.