Pune Police Crack Down on Drug Racket, Seize Mephedrone Worth Over Rs 3.5 Crore

Pune: In a significant breakthrough, Pune Police’s Crime Branch Unit One has once again dealt a severe blow to drug traffickers operating in the city, seizing a substantial quantity of Mephedrone (MD) drugs valued at a staggering Rs 3 crore 58 lakh. The operation, conducted in the Somwar Peth area on Sunday night (19th), exposed the clandestine activities of drug peddlers thriving in Pune.

The well-planned operation resulted in the arrest of three individuals involved in the illicit drug trade. Identified as Vaibhav alias Pintya Bharat Mane, his driver Ajay Amarnath Karosiya, and Haider Noor Shaikh, these arrests mark the culmination of extensive efforts by Pune Police to dismantle drug syndicates operating within the city.

The apprehended suspects were found in possession of a white Ertiga car (MH 12 UJ 4081) in Somwar Peth, where police officers from Crime Branch Unit I, led by Police Vitthal Salunkhe, observed their suspicious movements. Upon further interrogation and search, Vaibhav Mane was found carrying 500 grams of MD drugs valued at Rs. 1 crore. Further inquiries revealed that the drugs were supplied by Haider Shaikh, a resident of Vishrantwadi.

This recent seizure comes on the heels of a previous bust where drugs worth Rs 2 crore were confiscated at the entrance of Sassoon Hospital in Pune. Lalit Patil, the prime suspect in that operation, subsequently provided critical leads, uncovering connections to drug rackets across the state.

In pursuit of the accused, Pune Police deployed five teams to apprehend Haider Shaikh, leading to his detention and the subsequent discovery of 500 grams of MD drugs worth Rs 1 crore in his possession. Further investigations led the police to a warehouse in the Vishrantwadi area, where electronic weighing forks and sacks containing suspected MD drugs were discovered.

In total, the police seized 500 grams of MD drugs worth Rs 1 crore from Vaibhav Mane, along with mobile phones and an Ertiga car. Additionally, from the warehouse, they recovered sacks containing MD drugs valued at Rs 1.5 crore, along with other incriminating evidence. The combined haul from the operation amounts to a staggering Rs 3 crore, 58 lakh, and 400 rupees.

This action was taken by the team of police personnel under the guidance of Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police Pravin Pawar, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shailesh Balkawade, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Amol Zende, Assistant Commissioner of Police Crime-1 Sunil Tambe, and Assistant Commissioner of Police Crime-2 Satish Govekar.