Contraband worth Rs 390 crore seized as Mumbai cops bust mephedrone racket

Mumbai police have seized more than 187 kilograms mephedrone worth Rs 382 crore following a raid in Mysuru in neighbouring Karnataka, leading to the arrest of four persons, a top official said on Monday.

The probe into the case began in April this year after a man was held with 52 grams of mephedrone in Sakinaka in western Mumbai, and his interrogation led police to three more persons, from whom 4.53 kg mephedrone worth Rs 8 crore was recovered, he said.

Further probe into this racket led to the arrest of Salim Imtiyaaz Sheikh alias Salim Langda (45) from Bandra Reclamation on July 25, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 10) Datta Nalawade said.

"He led police to a structure along Ring Road in Mysuru, which looked like a hotel and garage from the front side. However, on entering it, we found a mephedrone manufacturing unit. The contraband from here was being supplied to Mumbai and adjoining districts. In all, we have arrested eight persons and seized 192 kilograms of mephedrone worth Rs 390 crore," the DCP said.

The operation in Mysuru took place on July 26, leading to the arrest of three more persons besides Sheikh, he said.

"It is a big chain and more arrests are likely. We are also verifying where they got the formula to manufacture mephedrone. The eight persons held so far, five of whom are from Mumbai, have been charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act," Nalawade said.