Pimpri-Chinchwad: In a massive, day-long coordinated sweep against illegal substances, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police conducted three separate raids on Tuesday, resulting in the seizure of synthetic drugs, thousands of litres of raw liquor chemicals, and banned electronic cigarettes. These operations, spanning from Charholi Budruk to Talegaon MIDC and Pimpri, led to the arrest of two individuals and the filing of cases against several others.
As the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) Elections approach, police have intensified their efforts to curb the rising influence of narcotics and contraband in the city. The IT hub and industrial belt of the Pimpri-Chinchwad city are particularly targeted by the police.
MD Seized by Dighi Police
A significant narcotics bust occurred in the wee hours of Tuesday near the Pirbaba Dargah Temple on Dhanori Road. In this action, Dighi Police intercepted a drug trafficking attempt. Officials of the Detection Branch (DB) received a tip-off from a trusted source, and acting on it, officers caught 40-year-old Parshuram Jagannath Madane red-handed while he was allegedly using a Tata Sumo vehicle to transport mephedrone (MD).
Police seized 5.43 grams of the synthetic stimulant valued at Rs 47,300, along with the vehicle, two mobile phones, and cash. This brought the total value of the seized assets to Rs 5.68 lakh. Madane, a resident of Lohgaon, was immediately taken into custody following a complaint filed by Police Constable Somnath Khalsode.
Illicit Liquor Manufacturing Unit Busted In Talegaon MIDC
Simultaneously, the Talegaon MIDC Police targeted an illicit liquor manufacturing unit located along a stream in the Kanjarbhat Wasti area of Ambi village. During the afternoon raid, officials discovered a massive 5,000-litre iron tank hidden near the water body. It contained approximately 4,000 litres of raw fermented chemicals used to produce country-made liquor.
The raw material, valued at over Rs 2.04 lakh, was destroyed on the spot to prevent the production of hooch. A case has been registered against a local woman under the Maharashtra Prohibition Act. A case was registered following a formal complaint by Constable Ramesh Ghule. Talegaon MIDC Police said that they continue to investigate the scale of this illegal brewery.
E-Cigarettes Seized In Pimpri
The crackdown extended into the retail sector later that afternoon when the Anti-Narcotics Cell of the Crime Branch raided a shop named ‘Live Emirates’ in Sant Tukaram Nagar, Pimpri. The operation targeted the illegal sale of foreign-made e-cigarettes and tobacco products that have been strictly banned by the government.
Police Constable Mitesh Yadav led the team in seizing a large cache of prohibited e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and hookah flavours worth Rs 85,200. The shop owner, 35-year-old Ahmed Yasin Hamid Sheikh, has been booked at the Sant Tukaram Nagar Police Station. He has been accused of violating government prohibitions on these harmful substances.
