Thane: Two held with 79 gm mephedrone worth Rs 15.8 lakh in Kalyan West

Thane police arrested two men in Kalyan West after seizing 79 grams of mephedrone valued at Rs 15.8 lakh. Representational pic

Police have arrested two men in Maharashtra's Thane district after allegedly recovering mephedrone worth Rs 15.8 lakh from their possession, officials said on Friday.

The arrests were made during a police operation in the Kalyan West area on Tuesday night, news agency PTI reported.

According to officials, a team intercepted two men near a temple following information about their suspected involvement in the possession or movement of the banned substance.

79 grams of mephedrone seized from two accused

During the search, police recovered a total of 79 grams of mephedrone from the two suspects. Officials said 59 grams of the substance was recovered from one accused, while another 20 grams was found in the possession of the second person.

The seized drug has an estimated street value of Rs 15.8 lakh, police said.

The accused have been identified as 36-year-old Ghulam Mosam Khan and 26-year-old Umesh Rambaram Dhuriya.

Police also seized Rs 3,100 in cash and three mobile phones from the two men as part of the operation.

Case registered under NDPS Act

Following the recovery, a case has been registered against the accused under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, officials said.

The two men have been taken into custody as the investigation continues. Police are examining the circumstances surrounding the seizure and the possible purpose for which the drug was being carried.

Mephedrone is a synthetic stimulant that is also known by street names such as meow and M-CAT. It is a prohibited narcotic substance and its possession, sale and trafficking are punishable under India's drug-control laws.

The latest action comes amid continuing efforts by law enforcement agencies in Maharashtra to detect and prevent the circulation of synthetic drugs.

The seizure of the substance, cash, and mobile phones is expected to form part of the evidence in the case.

Further investigation is underway to establish whether the accused were acting independently or were connected to a wider network involved in the supply or distribution of mephedrone.

Officials have not disclosed further details about the source of the seized substance or its intended destination.

(With PTI inputs)