Senior police inspector Crime Unit-I Ravindra Doiphode told PTI that acting on a tip-off, the police kept a vigil and nabbed drivers, cleaners and others who were transferring the solvent from tankers to small drums to be loaded on a tempo.
While six people involved in the racket were caught red-handed, a seventh person escaped, the police said.
The police official said that two tanker loads of solvent was dispatched from Mahul to be delivered to an industrial unit, but en route, those who have been arrested pilfered it at the Pranay Engineering Company at Manpada, within the limits of Dombivili.
Those arrested as well as the absconding accused have been charged under Sections 379, 407, 411 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, the police said.
Crime Branch officials seized two loaded tankers, one tempo and a couple of motorbikes from those arrested, the police said.