How an SUV carrying 27kg of mephedrone exposed a secret drug factory

A poultry farm in Maharashtra, laboratory equipment bought in Hyderabad, cash payments exchanged near JNTU in Kukatpally and conversations conducted through encrypted messaging apps were among the clues that helped the Telangana EAGLE Force uncover an interstate synthetic drug manufacturing network.

The investigation, which began with the seizure of 27.2 kg of mephedrone in August, led to the discovery on October 17 of a suspected drug manufacturing facility in Maregaon village in Maharashtra’s Gondia district. Police have identified 24 accused in the wider network, of whom 11 are listed as arrested or in custody, while 13 remain at large.

According to a police complaint dated October 18, the trail of purchases of laboratory equipment dates back to March 2024, when a man identifying himself as Krishna approached TVR Scientific Glass Works, a supplier of laboratory equipment in Bahadurpally, Hyderabad. He was looking for a 200 liter reaction and distillation unit that was initially quoted at ₹ 3.25 lakh. After negotiations, the price was reduced to ₹ 2,92,500 plus GST.

A deposit of ₹45,000 was paid in cash during a meeting near JNTU in Kukatpally in April 2024. The equipment was transported to Nagpur the following month, but the installation was initially delayed as the buyer did not confirm the location.

A week later, the contractor’s representatives returned to Nagpur and were taken to an agricultural field where the equipment was installed. Further cash payments of ₹80,000, ₹84,000 and ₹50,000 were allegedly made on different occasions. Another order was placed in July 2024 for a 20 liter laboratory flask costing ₹84,500 which was shipped to Nagpur by freight service.

Encrypted messages and links to the Hyderabad lab

Investigators subsequently looked into the roles of Taneti Anand Kumar, associated with the glass supplier, and Pabbeti Kishtaiah, who allegedly brokered the equipment purchases.

Kishtaiah told investigators he coordinated the transactions on behalf of Fadh Shaikh, whom he identified in his statement as the son of Fayaz Ahmed Rasool Sheikh. According to his account, communication with Shaikh was through the encrypted messaging app Signal, while WhatsApp was used to coordinate with the Hyderabad supplier. He also stated that he subsequently deleted the WhatsApp conversations and removed Signal from his mobile phone.

Investigation revealed suspected links to Vetukuri Labs in Kondamadugu and SM Labs in Moula Ali, Hyderabad. The contractor Bahadurpally had previously provided equipment and services to Vetukuri Laboratories where its representatives reported meeting Chetan Madhukar Meshram and Kasani Srinivas during visits to recover unpaid payments.

In December 2025, Srinivas reportedly requested a quote for additional lab equipment, including a round-bottom hexagonal flask, a water bath, and a stirrer motor.

The seizure of the Fortuner reveals a wider network

The investigation gained momentum on August 8 when the Bibi Nagar police intercepted a Toyota Fortuner heading towards Nagpur and seized 27.2 kg of mephedrone and 56.98 kg of acetone.

Three persons, identified as Chetan Madhukar Meshram, Mujammel Hoque and Akash Ashok Gawande, were arrested. The case was subsequently handed over to the EAGLE Force after investigators identified suspected links to an organized interstate drug production network.

After further investigations, the EAGLE Force team traced the suspected manufacturing facility to a poultry farm in Maregaon village of Gondia district in Maharashtra on 17 October. Chemical processing equipment and chemical residues were found in the premises, prompting the Maharashtra State Police to register a separate case. On the same day, EAGLE Force arrested Jairaj Krishna Shetty, the alleged owner of JSV Globals in Vasai, Maharashtra, on suspicion of supplying propionyl chloride, a precursor chemical, to Meshram and his associates for illegal drug manufacturing.

Investigators are looking into the suspected manufacturing of mephedrone, alprazolam and ephedrine, along with the movement of chemicals and lab equipment across state lines. Officials said efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining accused and trace the financial transactions, chemical suppliers and logistical arrangements supporting the suspected network.

Published – 20 Oct 2026 05:37 IST