Pune Police have handed over a major drug trafficking case involving a massive Mephedrone seizure worth a staggering ₹3,674 crore to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Mumbai. The seizure, which amounted to a whopping 1,826 kg of Mephedrone, was made from a factory located in the Kurkumbh Industrial Estate in Pune district. Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar confirmed that after conducting preliminary investigations, the case files and evidence have been transferred to the NCB for further action.
The investigation kicked off with the arrest of gangster Vaibhav alias Pintya Mane, along with his associates Ajay Karosiya and Haider Sheikh, on charges related to the smuggling and distribution of Mephedrone. Subsequent raids led to the discovery of raw materials worth crores in Sheikh’s resort godown. Further probes linked the seized Mephedrone from areas like Vishrantwadi and Somwar Peth to the Earthchem Company in Kurkumbh. The company’s owner, Bhimaji Sable, along with chemical engineer Yuvraj Bhujbal and Ayub Makandar, were also taken into custody.
The investigation saw arrests being made in various locations including Pune, Kurkumbh, Delhi, and Sangli. It was revealed that Sandeep Dhunia, also known as Sam Brown, was the alleged mastermind behind the international drug smuggling operation. Dhunia was found to have been exporting Mephedrone manufactured at the Earthchem Company to foreign destinations via Dubai and Nepal.
The total quantity of Mephedrone seized, amounting to 1,836 kg, is estimated to have an international market value of ₹3,674 crore and 35 lakh rupees. Despite extensive efforts, Sandeep Dhunia remains at large and is believed to have fled the country. Investigations also uncovered that Hyder Shaikh of Vishrantwadi supplied Mephedrone to Pappu Qureshi for distribution in Pune, Maharashtra, and Delhi. Qureshi, in collaboration with Dhunia and Shoaib Shaikh, was operating a warehouse in Pune where significant quantities of the contraband were seized.
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