Thane: The Thane Crime Branch has busted a Mephedrone (MD) manufacturing unit in Uttarakhand and arrested three individuals near the Nepal-Uttar Pradesh border. The police also seized drug-making equipment, machinery, and vehicles, all collectively valued at over ₹30 lakh.
The arrested accused have been identified as Om Jaigovind Gupta alias Monu, a resident of Uttarakhand; Bhim Yadav, a resident of Nalasopara; and Amar Kumar Kohli, also from Uttarakhand.
The operation stemmed from an investigation into a case registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Kasarvadavali police station. During the probe, the Crime Branch Unit 5 arrested two suspects—Vishal Singh and Mallesh Shewala—and seized 10 grams of MD powder worth ₹35,000.
During interrogation, Singh and Shewala revealed that they had sourced the contraband from Uttarakhand. Acting on this lead, a team was dispatched to Pithoragarh with assistance from the local police. On June 27, the team raided a factory and recovered raw materials, including chemicals and machinery, worth over ₹18 lakh.
Police said the accused had fled the premises before the raid. Three of them attempted to cross into Nepal but were intercepted and arrested on June 28 with the help of local authorities. The trio was produced in court and remanded in police custody until July 5.
Preliminary investigation suggests that Gupta and Kohli were previously involved in the manufacturing of MD powder in Uttar Pradesh. A prior FIR had also been registered against them at the Kasarvadavali police station, and both were absconding in that case.
