HYDERABAD: What began as a routine scan of chemical listings on business-to-business websites led investigators to a secret network allegedly producing mephedrone. The crackdown, code-named Operation Bromo B2B, was carried out by the EAGLE Force, which uncovered what police described as an organised operation in which the accused illegally procured chemicals, manufactured the drug and supplied it.
Officials traced the network to six persons — Veerender Swamy, Manish Bishnoi, Manoj Kumar Mathur, Sishupal, Sumeeth and Raju Jodhpur. The EAGLE Force and UP police registered one case each and arrested three accused, including Swamy, Bishnoi and Mathur, a chemistry postgraduate and lecturer in UP. Police seized 10 kg of MDMA, 20 kg of mephedrone and other materials from the accused.
Investigators tracking suspicious precursor chemical sales on IndiaMART and TradeIndia identified SR Innovations India in Kukatpally, run by Rafi Shaik. Police then traced buyers of the key chemical 2-Bromo-4-Methylpropiophenone supplied by Shaik, suspecting it was being diverted for illegal drug production.
The trail soon revealed a web of transactions across states.
Police found that Rafi Shaik had supplied 100 kg of the precursor chemical to Bhawani Acid & Chemicals in Chitradurga, Karnataka. The payment was received from a person identified as Manish. The consignment, shipped in February, was billed in the name of Girish Taapar — a firm that investigators later discovered did not exist.
The pattern had appeared earlier as well. In November 2025, Rafi Shaik had supplied another 100 kg of the same chemical to Satish of ADSD Consulting with a shipping address in Kutch, Gujarat. Soon after the consignment was delivered, Rafi Shaik received Rs 6.5 lakh from Manish.
In February, another 100 kg consignment of the chemical was dispatched to Girish Thapar of Bhawani Acid and Chemicals, billed in Karnataka but delivered to Kompally. Investigators later found Girish Thapar was actually Veerender Swamy. Police said Swamy, along with Manish and assisted by chemist Manoj, Sishupal, Sumeeth and Raju Jodhpur, conspired to manufacture mephedrone.
The group allegedly rented a room in Shadnagar, procured nearly 300 kg of the precursor chemical from Rafi in three consignments and purchased laboratory equipment from Sri Shiva Scientific Technologies using the false identity of Bhawani Acids and Chemicals.
Inside the rented room, police said, the group secretly manufactured mephedrone and supplied it to customers.
Investigations revealed that Veerender Swamy was operating under several aliases, maintaining a network of associates who allegedly worked together to run the illegal operation.
The case took a dramatic turn on March 1.
Police intercepted Veerender Swamy and Manish in Rajasthan while they were travelling in a car. During interrogation, they allegedly revealed details about the drug manufacturing unit and the distribution network in Rajasthan.
Investigators later contacted Manoj. He told police that a few months ago Veerender had approached him with a proposal to prepare MDMA. Mathur travelled to Hyderabad to assist in the process, but the attempt failed and the substance could not be produced. He later returned to Barmer in Rajasthan.
However, the plan did not end there.
According to police, the accused later decided to manufacture mephedrone instead. Veerender and Manish allegedly travelled to Mathur’s residence and collected glassware apparatus along with raw materials. Using these materials, they prepared around 100 grams of mephedrone, which Veerender and Manish took with them.
The EAGLE Force is continuing its search for the remaining accused. Police said further investigation into the case is underway.