Drug racket via chemical waste: raid at Mylan Pharma plant

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The NDPS squad raided Mylan Pharma in Waluj MIDC on Thursday, exposing a racket involving the smuggling of mephedrone (MD) through chemical waste. Police took five arrested accused to the plant for re-enactment and inspection of the illegal extraction process.

Among the accused are scrap dealer Baban Khan, his sons Kalim and Salim Khan, truck driver Shafiful Rehman Tafazzul Hussain, and Raj Ajure. Baban Khan, who secured Mylan's scrap disposal contract in 2011, allegedly diverted chemical waste to a private godown, where the extracted residue was smuggled to Mumbai and other states for MD production. Police believe the operation earned him crores in black money. The crime branch, led by senior inspector Sambhaji Pawar and NDPS inspector Geeta Bagwade, recreated the entire route of the racket at the plant from gate pass issuance and scrap collection to chemical waste handling.

Company under investigation

Mylan Pharma officials responsible for scrap handling and waste disposal are now under the scanner. Police have issued notices and will record their statements to determine possible internal collusion. Sources suggest the case could expose a wider inter-state MD trafficking network, with names of other chemical suppliers expected to surface soon.

(WITH PHOTO)