Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate K H Holambe-Patil sentenced Rajan Mathuradas Joshi (38) and Maru Subbaji Narappa Shetty (58) to three years' RI and fined Rs 50,000 each under the Indian Penal Code and Dangerous Drugs Act and two years RI and Rs 50,000 each in fine under the Opium Act. All the sentences will run concurrently.

The city police were alerted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (Delhi) after 20 kgs of opium was seized at Port Louis, Mauritius on August 20, 1998. The consignemnt was shipped by Mysore Agarbatti Traders owned by Maru Subbaji Shetty.

Following the DRI's alert call, police raided Shetty's residence and offices and recovered. During investigations police found that another consignment of opium was lying at Indira Docks which was to be shipped to Mauritius. When opened by the police, the box yielded 32 kgof opium within a iron safe locker.

The Economic Offences Wing of the Crime Branch recently arrested persons on charges of duping hundreds of youth with promise of providing employment in Gulf countries.

Arman Mohammed Ismail (47) and Aziz Abdul Shaikh (34) were arrested following a raid on their employment agency Royal Associates at Vile Parle (W). Police recovered incriminating documents including six Indian passports, stamp payment receipts, medical certificates and job applications.