The Thane Crime Branch has cracked down on a major mephedrone (MD) manufacturing operation in Uttarakhand, arresting three suspects near the Nepal-Uttar Pradesh border. Police seized drug-making machinery, equipment, and vehicles valued at over Rs30 lakh.
The accused have been identified as Om Jaigovind Gupta alias Monu and Amar Kumar Kohli from Uttarakhand, along with Bhim Yadav from Nalasopara.
The case originated from an NDPS Act investigation at Kasarvadavali police station, where Crime Branch Unit 5 initially apprehended two men—Vishal Singh and Mallesh Shewala—and seized 10 grams of MD powder worth Rs35,000.
Interrogations revealed the drugs were sourced from Uttarakhand, prompting a raid on June 27 at a factory in Pithoragarh. Police recovered raw materials, chemicals, and machinery valued over Rs18 lakh.
The three accused fled before the raid but were intercepted on June 28 while attempting to cross into Nepal with local authorities’ help. They have been remanded in police custody until July 5.
Preliminary investigations indicate Gupta and Kohli were involved in previous MD powder manufacturing in Uttar Pradesh and had prior FIRs at Kasarvadavali police station, remaining absconders until now.
