Mumbai cops bust mephedrone racket, arrest three including chemistry postgraduate

Mumbai, Jun 10 (PTI) Mumbai Police have busted a mephedrone manufacturing and distribution racket by arresting three individuals, including a chemistry postgraduate, following a raid at a chemical lab in Palghar district, officials said on Tuesday.

Police seized mephedrone worth Rs 22.64 lakh and a large quantity of raw materials used in the synthetic drug’s production during searches.

The operation began on Saturday when MIDC Police intercepted a high-end car between the Pump House subway and Canossa Junction in Andheri East during a nakabandi.

Officers arrested 36-year-old Farhan Gulzar Khan, a resident of Jogeshwari, and recovered 71 grams of mephedrone valued at Rs 2.8 lakh from his vehicle, which was also seized. Khan has 13 prior cases registered against him.

Further interrogation led police to arrest 24-year-old supplier Pratik Jadhav in Palghar. During the search, police recovered 215 grams of mephedrone with an estimated value of Rs 8.60 lakh, an official said.

Subsequently, police raided Prochem Pharmaceutical Laboratory in Tarapur MIDC, where they recovered 280 grams of mephedrone with an estimated value of Rs 11.20 lakh, along with raw materials used in its production.

The lab's operator, Vijay Rajaram Khatke (43), who holds an MSc in Chemistry, was arrested for manufacturing and supplying the drug.

All the three accused were remanded in police custody for seven days, the official said.

Police are continuing their investigation to determine how long the Tarapur lab has been producing mephedrone and to identify other members of the supply and distribution network. PTI DC NSK