Mumbai, Jun 28 (IANS): The Narcotics Control Bureau's Mumbai Zone has smashed a major inter-state drug trafficking ring and seized 31.5 kg of mephedrone and Rs 69.13 lakh cash while arresting three peddlers, an official said here on Friday.

Following a tip-off that a Mumbai-based drug syndicate operated by J.K. Musharaf was active in trafficking huge quantities of drugs, a discreet probe was initiated, NCB Mumbai Zone's Additional Director Amit Ghawate said.

However, Musharaf remained elusive and it was becoming difficult to pin him down, so after round-the-clock surveillance, the NCB sleuths identified a few of his key associates.

On Wednesday, intel sources confirmed that a bulk consignment delivery was to be made by Musharaf and an NCB team was rushed to the delivery point in Nagpada in, south Mumbai.

As indicated, Musharaf soon arrived in the area and NCB sleuths intercepted him and recovered 10 kgs of mephedrone. On questioning there, he revealed details of a storage place nearby and an NCB team rushed to that location, a room occupied by a woman named Nausheen. A search of the premises led to the seizure of another 10.5 kg of mephedrone and the drug sale proceeds of Rs.69.13 lakhs, said Ghawate.

Interrogation of the duo revealed that a drug mule, identified as Saif, was scheduled to deliver another consignment the next day, and he was caught in Wadala with another 11 kg of the drug.

"The contraband was meant for supply in various parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. This syndicate was working in drug trafficking for a long period," said Ghawate.

The three accused are being questioned on their associates, the entire drug smuggling racket and related aspects while cracking the operation in the sensitive Nagpada-Dongri area, he added