Dead drop trail busted as cops crack MDMA network, 6 held

Raipur: An inter-state synthetic drugs network was bust in Raipur that allegedly used courier parcels, two-wheeler transportation service provider and a "dead drop" delivery model to push MDMA and party pills in the city. Police have arrested six accused, seizing contraband and other materials worth around Rs 10 lakh.The "dead drop delivery" is adopted to avoid direct hand-to-hand delivery. Under this method, the drugs were kept at isolated spots and customers were sent the location and video of the drop point, helping the network evade direct contact and reduce the risk of detection.Seizure included 48.03 grams of MDMA, eight party pills, nine mobile phones, a courier box allegedly used for drug supply.The crackdown was carried out by a joint team of the anti crime and cyber unit (ACCU), anti-narcotics task force (ANTF) and Telibandha police. Police said the syndicate was being run by alleged masterminds identified as Mahesh Khadka and Kusum Hinduja, who were operating from Delhi. Investigators said both had earlier gone to jail in 2024 in a drugs case registered at Khamhardih police station.According to police, the contraband was sent from Delhi to Raipur through courier. It was allegedly received here by Kunal Mangtani, after which on-wheel service providers were used to place the packets at different deserted locations. Payments, police said, were routed through multiple bank accounts.The breakthrough came after police received inputs that MDMA was being supplied in Raipur through bike riders. Acting on this, teams working under the supervision of DCP (crime and cyber) Smritik Rajanala and DCP (central) Umesh Prasad Gupta began surveillance and technical analysis.On March 29, police detained three alleged delivery operatives — Saurabh Dongre, Shubham Rathore and Saurabh Yadav — near Kashiram Nagar in Telibandha in Raipur. Based on their interrogation, Mangtani was arrested. The probe then led police to Delhi, where Khadka and Hinduja were traced in Panchsheel Vihar and later arrested.During questioning, the alleged masterminds told police they procured drugs from Nigerian nationals. Investigators are now probing the possible international link and the wider supply chain.A case was registered at Telibandha police station under NDPS Act.