28 July,2026 05:52 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondent
The operation was carried out by the Thane Crime Branch. Representational Pic/File
A 30-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly possessing 1.5 kg of mephedrone worth Rs 3 crore in Maharashtra's Thane city, police said, reported the PTI.
The arrest was made during a late-night operation carried out by the Thane Crime Branch.
According to police, officers acted on specific intelligence and laid a trap near Kalyan Phata.
At around 10.30 pm on Sunday, the suspect arrived in an autorickshaw, where he was intercepted by the crime branch team.
During the search, officers allegedly recovered 1.5 kg of mephedrone, an illegal synthetic drug, with an estimated market value of Rs 3 crore.
Police identified the accused as Salman Munna Shaikh, a resident of Mumbra, as per the PTI.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Amarsingh Jadhav said the accused had previously been named in an attempted murder case.
Investigators are now examining whether he was also involved in a wider drug trafficking network.
Police said they have identified the people suspected of supplying the narcotics to the accused.
According to DCP Jadhav, the investigation is progressing quickly, with officers working to trace others believed to be connected to the drug supply chain, the news agency reported.
A case has been registered against the accused under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
The court has remanded Shaikh to police custody until July 31 while the investigation continues.
Meanwhile, in an another major seizure, earlier this month, a 26-year-old Nigerian woman was arrested in Nalasopara area of Palghar district in Maharashtra, after police allegedly recovered MDMA tablets and cocaine worth around Rs 4.83 crore from her rented apartment, reported the PTI.
The raid was conducted by police personnel at a flat in the Nariyanagar area, following which the accused, identified as Omorogbe Merit Enaghede, was taken into custody.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-II, Vasai) Ashok Virkar said police recovered 1,010 grams of MDMA, also known as ecstasy pills, of different colours, the news agency reported.
The seized MDMA was valued at around Rs 1.51 crore, while 663 grams of white cocaine powder was estimated to be worth Rs 3.31 crore, taking the total value of the seized substances to Rs 4.83 crore.
According to the PTI, the police have registered a case at Tulinj Police Station under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
Charges have also been filed under provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, and Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
(with PTI inputs)
