Accused, Manoj Kumar Mathur, at the stash house in Semra Road, Khandauli, Agra, along with the raw materials used in manufacturing of Mephedrone.
| Photo Credit: By Arrangement.
A clandestine network involved in the manufacture of synthetic drug mephedrone was busted by the Telangana’s EAGLE Force during a coordinated operation named ‘Operation Bromo B2B’. The investigators said that the network operated covertly while maintaining the appearance of a roadside dhaba on the outskirts of Hyderabad in Shadnagar.
The operation followed the ninth apex level meeting of the Narco Coordination Centre held in New Delhi on January 9, where Telangana was identified as a hotspot for clandestine synthetic drug manufacturing, said Sandeep Shandilya, director of EAGLE.
Acting on intelligence inputs, the officials began examining online listings of precursor chemicals on business-to-business platforms .
During the inquiry, officers traced a dealer identified as 47-year-old Shaik Rafi, proprietor of SR Innovations India in Kukatpally. The investigators said he advertised precursor chemicals including 2-Bromo-4-Methylpropiophenone and 3-Chloro-1-phenyl-1-propanone, which are used in the manufacture of synthetic drugs such as mephedrone and clophedrone.
Shaik Rafi, who holds a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Pondicherry Central University, confessed to the investigators that he supplied chemical products through his firm after sourcing them from a Mumbai based supplier. The officials said he had listed more than 500 chemical and bio products across multiple online platforms.
During the investigation, the team found that Shaik Rafi had supplied about 300 kg of the precursor chemical 2-Bromo-4-Methylpropiophenone on different occasions to persons using a firm named Bhawani Acids and Chemicals. The consignments were billed to addresses in Karnataka and Delhi but were later diverted.
Further inquiries revealed that the name Girish Thapar used in the transactions was fictitious and that the individual was actually Veerender Swamy, who was operating under several aliases. Police said he, along with his associates Manish Bishnoi, Manoj Kumar Mathur, Sishupal, Sumeeth and Raju, allegedly procured the precursor chemical and laboratory equipment using false identities.
The investigators said the group had rented a room in Shadnagar where the precursor chemical was used to clandestinely manufacture mephedrone. The drug was later transported to Rajasthan and supplied to customers.
The officials also found that some members of the group had earlier started a roadside eatery named Jodhpur Dhaba in Vallur village of Chegunta mandal in Medak district, which was used as a base during their operations.
The alleged kingpin, Veerender Swamy, and his associate Manish Bishnoi were earlier detained by the police in Kota district of Rajasthan on March 1 while they were travelling in a vehicle. During questioning, they reportedly disclosed details about the drug manufacturing activity in Shadnagar.
Based on the complaint, the Hyderabad Narcotics Police registered a case under relevant provisions of the NDPS Act and further investigation is underway.
Published – March 09, 2026 07:13 pm IST
