Mumbai Police Dismantle Drug Lab in Mysuru, Seize ₹382 Crore Worth of Mephedrone

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Mumbai Police, in collaboration with Mysuru City Police, uncovered a massive drug manufacturing operation in Mysuru, Karnataka, seizing 187 kilograms of mephedrone valued at ₹382 crore. The operation, which led to the arrest of four individuals, is one of the largest mephedrone seizures in recent years.

The investigation began in April after police in Mumbai arrested a suspect in possession of 52 grams of mephedrone. Subsequent leads pointed to a wider network, resulting in further arrests and the recovery of an additional 4.53 kilograms of the synthetic drug. During interrogation, the suspects revealed that the main source of supply was based in Mysuru.

Following this information, a team from the Saki Naka police station in Mumbai, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Datta Nalawade, travelled to Mysuru. After tracking local leads, they identified a garage on Ring Road that served as a cover for the illegal drug manufacturing unit. The site, which outwardly appeared to operate as a hotel and vehicle repair shop, was found to be a full-fledged mephedrone laboratory.

Four individuals were arrested during the raid. Among them, one is a resident of Mysuru, while the others are from Mumbai and Gujarat. All have been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and have been transported to Mumbai for legal proceedings.

In the wake of the raid, Mysuru police inspector Lakshmikant Talwar was suspended for failing to act on prior intelligence. A departmental inquiry has been launched, and new personnel have been assigned to the affected jurisdiction.

Karnataka’s Home Minister G Parameshwara expressed concern over the scale of the operation, stating that the presence of such a drug lab in Mysuru was disturbing. He assured the public that local and state authorities were stepping up efforts to dismantle similar illegal operations and prevent the spread of synthetic narcotics.

Police officials believe that the arrested suspects possessed chemical expertise and had the capacity to convert pharmaceutical ingredients into large quantities of mephedrone. Authorities are now focusing on uncovering the wider network involved in distribution and supply across multiple states.