THANE: The Thane crime branch arrested three key accused involved in the manufacturing and distribution of MD (Mephedrone), a banned narcotic substance, following a raid on a clandestine factory located in Uttarakhand.The investigation followed a case at Kasarvadavali Police Station on 1 June 2025. During the probe, two arrested individuals, Vishal Bipin Singh and Mallesh Ramesh Shewala, were found in possession of 10.93 grams of MD drugs valued at approximately ₹35,000. Upon interrogation, they revealed that the narcotics were procured from a source in Uttarakhand, said Amar Singh Jadhav, DCP Crime.Further technical investigation established that the MD drugs were being manufactured in a factory located in Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand. Acting on this intelligence, under the guidance of senior officers, two separate police teams were formed. One of the teams conducted a surprise raid on 27 June 2025 at the factory. The raid resulted in the seizure of manufacturing machinery and various raw chemicals worth ₹18.54 lakh used in the production of MD drugs, Jadhav added.Simultaneously, information was received that three individuals involved in the drug operation were attempting to flee to Nepal. The other police team tracked the accused and, with the help of local police, apprehended them near the Nepal border in the jurisdiction of Palia Police Station, Kheri District, Uttar Pradesh. The accused were nabbed along with a car used in their attempted escape.The arrested accused are identified as Om Jaygovind Gupta alias Monu, resident of Tanakpur, Uttarakhand, Bhim Surendra Yadav, resident of Nalasopara, and Amankumar Laxmanram Kohli, resident of Tanakpur, Uttarakhand. Om Gupta and Amarkumar Kohli were already wanted in a previous NDPS case registered at Kasarvadavali Police Station involving an MD drug manufacturing unit in Uttar Pradesh.A total seizure worth ₹30.99 lakh, including raw materials, drug manufacturing equipment, and the getaway vehicle, was made during the operation. All three accused have been remanded to police custody till 5 July 2025, the police said.
