THANE, June 28 -- In a late-night raid, the Manpada police on Thursday busted a drug racket operating out of a luxury flat in Dombivli's upscale Khoni-Palava area, seizing nearly 2 kg of banned synthetic drug mephedrone (MD) valued at Rs.2.12 crore. Three young accused - including a 21-year-old woman - were arrested from the flat, all residents of Mumbra, who had allegedly been passing themselves off as call centre employees. The raid was carried out around 11 pm, following a tip-off received by the Kalyan Division's anti-narcotics team. According to deputy commissioner of police Atul Zende, the trio had rented the apartment under false pretences and were using it as a base to stockpile and distribute mephedrone across Thane and surrounding urban pockets. The network reportedly extended to school zones and youth-centric neighbourhoods. Mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant banned under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, is known for its cocaine-like high and dangerous health risks - including cardiac arrest, seizures, and psychosis. When police stormed the flat, they found 1.93 kg of the drug packed for supply. While the prime accused was caught on the spot, his two accomplices - including the woman - attempted to flee but were tracked down and nabbed within hours. Police officials said the arrested woman played a key role in the logistics and delivery arm of the racket. Investigators believe the accused had been friends since their school days and conspired to enter the drug trade to "make quick money". "They had told their families they were working as interns at a call centre in Pune. In reality, they were living in a plush rented apartment in Dombivli and selling MD at prices ranging from Rs.8,000 to Rs.11,000 per gram," said a Manpada police officer. All three have been booked under multiple sections of the NDPS Act, including 8(c), 21(c), and 22(c), which pertain to the possession and trafficking of commercial quantities of banned substances....