Mumbai: Crime Branch Busts Mephedrone Factory In Sangli, Arrests 6, Seizes Drugs Worth ₹300 Crore

In a significant operation, the Mumbai Crime Branch has conducted a raid in Kavathe Mahakal, Sangli, uncovering a clandestine Mephedrone (MD) manufacturing facility. The raid resulted in the arrest of six individuals and the confiscation of 150 kg of MD drugs, estimated to be worth approximately Rs 300 crore.

Due to the upcoming press conference scheduled for Wednesday regarding the drug seizure, police officers are refraining from disclosing much information on the matter. The primary suspect, a resident of Kavathe Mahakal taluka who has been residing in Mumbai for the past 17 years, was apprehended following intelligence indicating his involvement in smuggling MD drugs. 

The Mumbai Crime Branch, acting on this tip-off, launched an operation resulting in the arrest of six individuals linked to the MD drug chain.The investigation traces back to February 16 when the Mumbai Crime Branch registered a case under the NDPS Act, seizing 4 kg of MD drugs and arresting four individuals.

Subsequent interrogations led to the revelation of the manufacturing site of the seized drugs.Following this breakthrough, a team from the Mumbai Crime Branch, led by Police Inspector Neeraj Ubale, was dispatched to Irali village in Sangli district, where the manufacturing facility was located. The team, consisting of ten policemen, conducted a meticulously planned raid over the course of Sunday and Monday, seizing not only 150 kg of MD drugs but also laboratory equipment, dryers, heaters, and various chemicals used in the manufacturing process.

The suspects had established the manufacturing unit in a secluded room within Sangli's Irali village. The investigation is ongoing to determine the ownership of the factory, the identities of the workers, and the distribution network of the finished products.

Fifteen days ago, the crime investigation team from Pune, in collaboration with the Sangli police, conducted raids at three locations in Kupwad, seizing 140 kg of the drug mephedrone and apprehending three individuals. Additionally, a drug company in Sangli was raided on Monday, indicating the district's emergence as a hub for drug activity, prompting ongoing investigations into drug trafficking in the area.