DRI Busts Mephedrone Lab Disguised as Poultry Farm in Maharashtra

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence dismantled a mephedrone manufacturing unit in Satara, Maharashtra, seizing drugs worth Rs 55 crore. The lab, disguised as a poultry farm, frequently shifted locations to avoid capture. Five individuals were arrested, with some having prior legal issues related to drug offenses.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) orchestrated a bold raid, dismantling a clandestine mobile laboratory producing mephedrone in Maharashtra's Satara district. The operation resulted in the seizure of drugs valued at Rs 55 crore and the arrest of five suspects, according to officials.

Dubbed 'Operation Sahyadri Checkmate,' the raid unfolded in a secluded village within the Karad Tehsil. A state-of-the-art lab, masquerading as a poultry farm, was uncovered by the DRI, who noted its tendency to change locations to stay under the radar.

Among the contraband were 11.848 kg of mephedrone in liquid form, 9.326 kg in semi-liquid, and 738 grams in crystalline form, alongside raw material for another 15 kg of the drug. Three individuals, including the manufacturer, financer, and farm owner, were caught in the initial swoop, while two more suspects were intercepted later, all having prior legal entanglements with drug-related crimes.