Maharashtra: Police seize mephedrone worth Rs 4.1 crore, three arrested

Thane: The Anti-Narcotics Cell of Thane Crime Branch has busted a high-value narcotics racket, arresting three persons and seizing mephedrone (MD) worth nearly Rs 4.1 crore.The action comes as part of a special drive launched on the directives of the Thane police commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre to crack down on the illegal drug trade in the region. The operation was triggered by specific intelligence received by a constable. Acting swiftly, a team from the Anti-Narcotics Cell verified the input and laid a trap. On March 23, around 7.10 pm, officers intercepted two suspects near the MTNL office in Charai, Thane. The accused, identified as Sohel Dilip Khan (26), a resident of Kopri, and Rohit Vilas Sitapure (21) from Ulhasnagar, were found carrying substantial quantities of Mephedrone. Police recovered 1.56 kg from Khan and 1.6 kg from Sitapure, said DCP Amar Singh Jadhav. Following the arrests, investigators carried out a backward link probe to trace the source and network behind the contraband. This led to the arrest of a third accused, Rajesh Hadawale (23), also from Kopri. According to police, the trio was involved in the illegal possession and intended distribution of a total of 2.6 kg of the synthetic drug, said Jadhav. A case has been registered at Naupada Police Station under relevant sections of the NDPS Act. All three accused have been remanded to police custody, while further investigations are under way to uncover the larger supply chain.