Journalism of Courage
Mephedrone factory busted at Kolhapur poultry farm
Contraband and chemicals worth Rs 1.13 crore seized
Police busted an illegal mephedrone manufacturing unit in Mumbai's Gorai, where raw materials and chemicals that might have been used to produce the drug with a market value of about Rs 100 crore. Several arrests were made in connection with the drug racket. (Express)
The Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of Maharashtra Police busted an illicit mephedrone manufacturing factory operating from the premises of a poultry farm in Chandgad in Kolhapur district on Saturday.
During the raid, the ANTF sleuths seized contraband and chemicals worth Rs 1.13 crore.
“Six persons, including the poultry farm owner Pappu Vitthal Malatwadar, have been arrested during the action,” said M M Makandar, Superintendent of Police (SP), ANTF.
On April 4, 2026, the Mira- Bhayandar, Vasai – Virar police had arrested a woman, Firdos Qureshi, who had 1.324 kg of mephedrone estimated at Rs 2.64 crore, from a house in Nayanagar on Mira Road in Thane district.
Police arrested Firdos’s husband, Arbaz Qureshi as a probe revealed he had procured the mephedrone.
A first information report (FIR) was lodged against the couple at Nayanagar police station under sections of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
During investigation, police busted an illegal mephedrone manufacturing unit in Mumbai’s Gorai, where raw material and chemicals that might have been used to produce the drug with a market value of about Rs 100 crore. Several arrests were made in connection with the drug racket.
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The probe into this case was handed over to the ANTF. A press release issued by ANTF on Sunday stated, “When police interrogated the arrested accused, Irfan Salim Khan of Mira Road in Thane, it was revealed that he and his associates had set up an illegal drug manufacturing factory inside a poultry farm owned by one Pappu Vitthal Malatwadar at Hajgoli village in Chandgad taluka of Kolhapur district to manufacture mephedrone.”
Acting on this crucial lead, ANTF led police inspector Nitin Bodhe, the investigating officer, raided the poultry farm premises and seized ready contraband, raw chemicals, laboratory apparatus, and processing machinery valued at Rs 1,13,51,480.
Anuj Tare, SP, ANTF said, “26 persons have been arrested in this case so far. Further investigation is on.”
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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