In a major crackdown on drug syndicates, Mumbai’s RCF Police have busted a gang that had converted a farmhouse in Raigad district into a full-fledged MD drug manufacturing unit. The gang had rented two rooms of the farmhouse under the pretext of rearing goats and chickens, paying ₹1 lakh per month (₹50,000 per room) for the premises.
According to Mahesh Patil, Additional Commissioner of Police (East Region), the case originated in March this year when RCF Police seized 45 grams of MD (Mephedrone) and arrested one person. As investigations progressed, four more drug peddlers were arrested from Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The police recovered a total of 6.689 kilograms of MD, with an estimated international market value of ₹13.37 crore.
Further investigation led police to a farmhouse in the Kikvi area of Karjat in Raigad district, where the gang was running the MD manufacturing unit. Acting on this input, a special team led by DCP Navnath Dhawale and comprising Senior Inspector Mahadev Kumbhar, PI Shamsher Tadvi, API Maitranand Khandare, and PSI Sushant Salvi raided the Savli Farmhouse and uncovered the illegal factory setup.
During the raid, police arrested one individual from the spot and seized 5.525 kilograms of MD along with chemicals and equipment used for its production. The raw materials found at the scene are estimated to be worth ₹1 crore, and if fully processed, could yield approximately 150 kilograms of MD, valued at around ₹300 crore in the international market.
Additional Commissioner Patil revealed that the gang used the cover of goat farming to mask the chemical odour from the drug-making process. The smell of goat droppings helped in concealing the pungent fumes, keeping neighbours unaware of the illegal activity.
Sources close to the investigation stated that the accused had been operating the factory for the past three months and were producing up to 25 kilograms of MD every week. Based on this estimate, nearly 300 kilograms of MD—worth around ₹600 crore—might have been produced during this period.
Police are now investigating the distribution network of the drugs and trying to determine how many individuals are involved in the syndicate. Additionally, efforts are underway to trace the money trail linked to the illegal profits generated from the sale of these narcotics.
The case remains under active investigation.