HYDERABAD: In one of the biggest drug busts in recent times, Maharashtra police have uncovered a synthetic drug manufacturing unit in Hyderabad that was allegedly supplying narcotics to several parts of the country. Officials said the seized material is valued at nearly Rs 12,000 crore.
The Crime Detection Unit (Cell-4) of the Mira-Bhayandar Vasai-Virar (MBVV) police dismantled a clandestine mephedrone (MD) manufacturing facility in Cherlapalli, Hyderabad, and arrested 12 persons on Friday.
During the raid, police seized 5.968 kg of mephedrone, 27 mobile phones, three four-wheelers and one two-wheeler, four electronic weighing scales, and other equipment and chemicals used in manufacturing the narcotic substance. MBVV Police Commissioner Niket Kaushik said the seized material was valued at approximately Rs 12,000 crore.
He explained that the operation, which lasted over a month, was a painstaking effort targeting multiple layers of the drug network. "The arrests are significant because, usually, only peddlers and frontline distributors are caught. In this case, we managed to reach the manufacturers, which is rare and extremely challenging," Kaushik said.
The crackdown began on August 8, when police intercepted a 23-year-old Bangladeshi national, Fatima Murad Shaikh alias Molla, near the Kashimira bus stop in Mira Road East, Thane district. She was found carrying 105 grams of mephedrone.
Further investigation led to the seizure of 178 grams of the drug and Rs 23.97 lakh in cash from multiple suspects, exposing a larger trafficking syndicate. The probe then traced the supply chain to Telangana.
More arrests likely in drug case, say police
Acting on this lead, Police Inspector Pramod Badakh and his Cell-4 team travelled to Telangana. Their investigation pointed to Srinivas Vijay Voleti and his associate Tanaji Pandharinath Patwari, who were allegedly operating a drug manufacturing unit at Navodaya Colony in Cherlapalli.
In the raid conducted on Friday, the duo was arrested along with others involved in the network.
Police said the arrests included suspects across the chain — from local peddlers to the manufacturers — marking a major breakthrough in tackling organised synthetic drug rackets.
The Crime Detection Unit (Cell-4) is conducting further investigation into the case and more arrests are likely to be made in the future.