THANE, May 1 -- The Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Thane police has dismantled a mephedrone (MD)-making unit being run in Uttar Pradesh and arrested three accused, including a postgraduate in chemistry who was wanted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). The police have seized 1.14 kg of the synthetic stimulant, valued at Rs.2.30 crore in the grey market. The investigation revealed that the drugs manufactured in the clandestine laboratory were being trafficked into Maharashtra for distribution. The crackdown happened after Thane police commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre instructed the ANC to focus on action against drug traffickers operating from outside the state. The first breakthrough came on April 17, 2025, when police constables Amol Desai and Pramod Jamdade received a tip-off and raided a place near Mumbra railway station. There, they apprehended Devash Kumar Ramkishan Sharma (32), a resident of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, and seized 336 grams of mephedrone valued at Rs.67.20 lakh from him. A case was registered at the Mumbra police station under Sections 8(c) and 22(c) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. Police sub-inspector Dipesh Kini was entrusted with investigating the case. Deputy commissioner of police (Crime) Amarsingh Jadhav said during questioning, Sharma revealed that the drugs were being supplied by one Mohammad Qayyum Mohammad Yunus Hashmi, a resident of Sohawal in Ayodhya. Sub-inspector Nilesh More confirmed Hashmi's identity and location through technical analysis, and a team led by police sub-inspector Nitin Bhosale was dispatched to Ayodhya. "There, we found that Hashmi was running a clothing store called Maria Kids & Ladies Wear," said More. "Our officers in plainclothes kept a watch on the shop for five days, often going in as customers. Through surveillance, we discovered that a room behind the shop was being used as a secret drug lab." On April 27, 2025, a joint team of the Thane police and the UP Special Task Force (STF) conducted a raid on the shop and found Hashmi, 45, and his associate Bipin Babulal Patel, 49, manufacturing MD inside. "Patel, a post-graduate in chemistry with specialisation in narcotics, is believed to be the mastermind behind the racket," said More. "The raid resulted in the seizure of 812 grams of MD worth Rs.1.62 crore, along with large quantities of raw material and the equipment used to manufacture the contraband." Police officials said Hashmi had multiple criminal cases registered against him in UP, including attempt to murder and two drug cases-one in UP and another in Naya Nagar in Mira Road. They added that Patel, known for his expertise in synthetic drug production, was previously booked in Ahmedabad in a drugs-related case and was also wanted by the DRI's Indore Zonal Unit. Patel, who hails from Ahmedabad, had worked with several well-known companies but quit his job in 2018 to start his own chemical trading business. "After this led to a loss of Rs.5 crore, he ventured into MD manufacturing," said a police officer. "He began producing crystal MD with his own formula, which he sold at over Rs.10 lakh per kg. "In 2019, when he manufactured for the first time, he struggled to find buyers but eventually connected with a distributor." In 2020, Patel was first arrested by the Ahmedabad police but released on bail after nine months. Later, he got an opportunity to lead an MD-manufacturing unit based in Madhya Pradesh. The DRI raided it in 2024 and recovered 39 kg of the contraband but Patel managed to flee. "After losing both his income sources, he was approached by Qayyum, who offered him a new opportunity to produce MD on a 40% profit-sharing basis," said a police officer. "Qayyum provided the location for the operation, situated behind his own clothing shop. They sourced chemical precursors from companies based in Borivali, Kanpur, and Faizabad."...