Accused arrested and 566 grams of MD (Mephedrone) worth 36.57 Lakh seized by MIDC Police in a huge crackdown on the drug racket

BB Desk

The MIDC Police have busted a huge drug racket involved in the manufacturing and distribution of MD (Mephedrone) in a major crackdown. Thus far, the police have arrested three accused in this case and seized a total of 566 grams of mephedrone along with products valued at ₹36.57 lakh. Additionally, they have also confiscated two cars, six mobile phones, and several other items from the accused.

The operation was carried out on June 7 by Senior Inspector, Rajiv Chavan of the MIDC Police Station together with Investigating Officer Mahesh Gurav and his team under the leadership of Datta Nalawade, Deputy Commissioner, Zone X.  While patrolling, the police intercepted and searched a red Skoda that was speeding suspiciously from the Pump house subway to Kanosha junction at around 11.45 pm. The search resulted in the arrest of car’s driver Farhan Gulzar Khan, a resident of Jogeshwari East along with the recovery of 71 grams of mephedrone, ₹2.80 lakh in cash and Skoda car valued at ₹8 lakh. Khan, 36 has 13 criminal cases filed against him at different police stations in the city.   

Khan was subsequently detained and questioned by the police. Identity of Palghar resident Pratik Jadhav, 24, a cab driver by profession who supplied mephedrone to Khan emerged during questioning. Following a tip off, police raided Palghar and took Pratik into custody. 215 grams of mephedrone valued at ₹8.60 lakh and a Maruti Swift Dzire worth ₹4.60 lakh were seized from him during the raid.

Pratik’s questioning led the police to another native of Palghar, Vijay Khatke, an M.Sc. in Chemistry who is supposedly involved in the manufacturing of mephedrone. Khatke, 43 ran the ‘Prochem Pharmaceutical Lab’ in the Tarapur MIDC area of Boisar, which was allegedly used to produce Mephedrone. Police raided Khatke’s lab and recovered 280 grams of ready-to-use mephedrone worth ₹11.20 lakh, along with production equipment and raw materials.

The three accused have been remanded to 7 days of police custody following their appearance in the Andheri Court. Investigations are still on to identify and nab other persons connected to the racket.