Mumbai crime branch raided a Mephedrone production factory in Irali village, Sangli district, and confiscated the Mephedrone which is valued at Rs. 245 crore.

An official on Wednesday said that the Mumbai police have busted a Mephedrone manufacturing factory which is surrounded by grape farms, in Sangli district of Maharashtra and confiscated over a quintal of the narcotic substance worth Rs. 245 crore.

Recently, six people including Mephedrone maker Pravin Shinde were arrested in the latest haul. It was the result of a probe after police confiscated drugs last month in Mumbai valued at Rs. 7 crore.

The official said that working on leads, on Monday the Mumbai crime branch made a raid on a farm at Irail village in Sangli district and confiscated 122.5 kg of Mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant. The police heretofore seized narcotic substances worth Rs. 252 crore in link with the case.

The official said that the main accused Praveen alias Nagesh Shinde (34), was known as a doctor in his circle. Initially, he is from Sangli district’s Tasgaon and was born and brought up on Mira road on the outskirts of Mumbai. He studied up to Class 10 but was surpassed in drug making. The official said that Shinde came to Uttar Pradesh to seek training in Mephedrone manufacturing before setting up a lab in Irali village along with his helpers.

He also said that of the six persons who were arrested on Monday, five people were farmers from Sangli. The accused individuals had purchased 12 acres of land that was surrounded by grape farms in the village. Shinde earned Rs. 1 lakh per 1 kilogram of the drug he produced and he also has his handlers.

The police have expanded their investigation to trace down other individuals who were involved in the syndicate. The Mephedrone that was confiscated at the factory was in crystal form and it is also called Lavish.

The police on February 16, apprehended two drug peddlers in Mumbai's Kurla including a woman. They retrieved 3.6 kg of Mephedrone which was valued at Rs. 7 crore from the drug peddlers and during the probe, two more persons were arrested in Surat, Gujarat.

Datta Nalawade, Deputy Commissioner of Police said that so far the police have apprehended 10 persons from the drug production syndicate and retrieved 126.141 kg of Mephedrone which is valued at Rs. 252.55 crore. He also said that the syndicate had been functioning for the past seven months and had found its distribution network. The police also confiscated raw materials and equipment to manufacture Mephedrone from the Sangli factory.

 (Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Lavanya Beeraboina/MSM)