Pune Anti-Narcotics Squad Seizes Over Rs 2 Crore Worth of Mephedrone; Three Arrested
Pune, 1st October 2023: The Anti-Narcotics Squad 2 of Pune City Police seized 1 kg, 71 gm, and 53 mg of Mephedrone, commonly known as MD, valued at Rs 2,14,30,600. The operation led to the arrest of three individuals, including a worker from Sassoon Hospital’s canteen and an inmate from Yerwada Jail.
While patrolling the Pune Station area, Police Constable Chetan Gaikwad received a tip about narcotics being sold near Sassoon Hospital. Acting on the information, the squad laid a trap and apprehended an individual identified as Rauf Rahim Shaikh, a 19-year-old resident of Tadiwala Road, Pune. Shaikh was found carrying the narcotics in a sack bag near the Ambedkar statue in front of Sassoon Hospital.
Upon interrogation, Shaikh revealed that the drugs were supplied by Lalit Anil Patil, a 34-year-old inmate from Yerwada Jail currently admitted to Sassoon Hospital for treatment. Both were arrested, along with a canteen worker from Sassoon Hospital. An FIR has been registered against them at Bundagarden Police Station.
The accused have been charged under relevant sections of the NDPS and IPC. The operation was conducted under the guidance of Police Commissioner Retesh Kumaarr, Joint Commissioner of Police Sandeep Karnik, and other senior officers.
The successful operation was carried out by a team led by Police Inspector Sunil Thopte and included Police Sub-Inspector Shubhangi Narke, Police Sub-Inspector Digambar Chavan, and police personnel Chetan Gaikwad, Shivaji Ghule, Santosh Deshpande, Sandeep Jadhav, Prashant Bomdanddi, Ravindra Rokade, Mayur Suryavanshi, Disha Khewalkar, Sahil Sheikh, Mahesh Salunke, Sandeep Shelke, Yogesh Mandre, Nitin Jagdale, Azim Sheikh, Yuvraj Kamble and Dinesh Bastewadi.
