Pune Police Shut Down Illegal Gutkha Factory, Four Held; Narcotics Seizure Worth Rs 1 Crore
Loni Kalbhor, 5th December 2025: In a major crackdown on illicit tobacco operations, Pune Police’s Crime Branch raided an illegal gutkha manufacturing unit along the Pune–Solapur highway in Theur, arresting four individuals and confiscating products valued at approximately Rs 1 crore.
Theur Factory Raid Leads to Multiple Arrests
The accused identified in the operation include:
Rohit Durgadas Gupta (25) – factory owner
Ramprasad alias Bapu Basanta Pratapati (50)
Appu Sushil Sonar (46) – resident of Uttar Pradesh
Danish Mustakin Khan (18) – local resident
During the raid, police recovered scented tobacco, thandak, chemical additives, rose water, and other raw materials used in gutkha production from a warehouse in Kambale Vasti owned by Sumit Gupta. Authorities also seized three vehicles used in the factory operations and cash totaling Rs 1.3 lakh.
The action followed a tip-off received by the anti-narcotics team patrolling the Loni-Kalbhor area. The operation was conducted under the supervision of Additional Police Commissioner Pankaj Deshmukh and Deputy Commissioner Nikhil Pingale, with senior officers Inspector Sudarshan Gaikwad and Assistant Inspector Nitin Naik coordinating the raid.
In a related bust, Pune Police’s Anti-Extortion Unit arrested Sajid Asad Khan (35) from Hadapsar for allegedly trafficking mephedrone. Officers recovered 127 grams of the narcotic, worth around Rs 32 lakh, along with Rs 3.6 lakh in cash suspected to be proceeds from drug sales.
The Wanwadi raid, based on actionable intelligence, was led by Assistant Commissioner Rajendra Mulik, with a team including Inspector Varsha Deshmukh and multiple sub-inspectors executing the operation.
Officials emphasized that these actions are part of continuous efforts to curb illegal narcotics production and distribution in Pune. Authorities stressed the importance of stringent enforcement of drug laws to safeguard public health and maintain law and order.
