In a significant crackdown on Pune's illicit drug trade, the Crime Branch Unit 1 of the Pune City Police confiscated Mephedrone (MD) drugs valued at Rs 3.50 crores and apprehended three individuals connected to the operation. s per authorities, on February 19, Constable Vitthal Salunkhe from the Crime Branch Unit received a tip-off regarding suspicious activity involving a white Ertica car with the license plate MH 12 UJ 4081 near Somwar Peth. Salunkhe approached the vehicle and observed a suspect in the driver's seat, accompanied by Vaibhav alias Pintya Bharat Mane. Salunkhe promptly alerted Senior Police Inspector Shabbir Sayyad, leading to the dispatch of a team to the scene. Upon searching the car, the police discovered Vaibhav Mane in possession of 500 grams of MD valued at Rs 1 crore.
The accused, Vaibhav alias Pintya Bharat Mane, and the car's driver, Ajay Amarnath Karosia (aged 35 and resident of Pune), were placed under arrest. Subsequent investigations revealed that Haider Noor Shaikh (aged 40 and resident of Vishrantwadi, Pune) was the supplier of the seized drugs to Mane. Consequently, five police teams were deployed to locate Shaikh, who was apprehended in the Vishrantwadi area with 500 grams of MD drugs valued at Rs 1 crore in crystal form. A key recovered from Shaikh led the police to a 400-square-foot warehouse in Vishrantwadi, where they discovered 750 grams of MD valued at Rs 1.50 crore, along with 200 to 300 sacks filled with an unidentified substance. haikh admitted to sourcing the drugs from foreign nationals. Further investigations unveiled the involvement of two foreign nationals in the drug trade, with two teams of the Crime Branch currently on the hunt for them.
Vaibhav Mane has a history of 30 registered crimes across various police stations in Pune. This marks his first offense under the NDPS Act. Mane and Shaikh were previously acquainted in Yerwada Jail and have been out on bail since 2023, engaging in drug trafficking since then. Shaikh supplied drug consignments to Mane for distribution in the open market. Authorities are delving into the Lalit Patil connection in this case, with further investigations underway.
Commissioner of Pune Police Amitesh Kumar, addressing the press, revealed that ten teams have been dispatched to various parts of Maharashtra to explore further links in the drug trade."Ensuring a drug-free Pune is a top priority for the Pune Police. We have launched a WhatsApp number, 8975953100, where the public can report drug-related crimes anonymously. We urge citizens to assist us in maintaining a drug-free city. The active participation of the public will aid the police in controlling drug consumption and supply," Commissioner Amitesh Kumar emphasized.