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Kanpur/Jalaun: Investigation agencies have uncovered an alleged interstate conspiracy to establish Uttar Pradesh as a major production and trafficking hub for mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant, following Mumbai. Following the recent bust of a clandestine manufacturing unit operating under the guise of a rose water factory in Rampura village of Jalaun district, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has stationed a team in Kanpur to dismantle the syndicate. Simultaneously, a special police team has been dispatched to Mumbai to trace the alleged mastermind and map out the broader supply network stretching across Mumbai, Kanpur, Orai, Barabanki, and Farrukhabad.
Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal stated that the case extends beyond routine narcotics smuggling, pointing toward an organized operation involving raw material procurement, local manufacturing, and distribution. To avoid the high risk of interception while transporting finished mephedrone from Mumbai to Uttar Pradesh, and to capitalize on higher market prices in Mumbai, the gang decided to set up local production units within the state.
Mumbai Mastermind and the Jalaun Factory Network
Investigators have identified Mumbai resident Khayamuddin alias Khayyam as the alleged kingpin behind the operation. According to police findings, Khayyam funded Santosh Gaonli, a former jail associate, to establish the manufacturing unit in Jalaun’s Dakor police station area. Once production commenced in Rampura village, the finished contraband was routed to Rizwan, a resident of Babupurwa in Kanpur.
To maintain strict operational secrecy, Khayyam allegedly instructed Santosh to act as the sole point of contact for Rizwan, ensuring that other links in the chain remained isolated. Police are currently investigating the exact sources of the chemical precursors used in the factory and identifying the cities where the manufactured drugs were distributed.
Digital Evidence and Fake Bills Uncovered
The probe gained momentum after Fazalganj police recently arrested Rizwan with mephedrone valued at Rs 50 lakh. Earlier, Karnalganj police had arrested another accused, Nizamuddin, with mephedrone worth Rs 1 crore in the international market, which was brought into Kanpur via a reverse route from Mumbai through Delhi. Forensic examination of Rizwan’s mobile phone revealed critical evidence, including an analytical report detailing the preparation of 82 percent pure alprazolam, complete with a quality controller’s stamp. This has raised suspicions that technical experts or researchers may be assisting the cartel.
Furthermore, investigators recovered an invoice dated August 4 from Rizwan’s phone, showing the purchase of raw materials worth approximately Rs 17 lakh from a scientific firm in Delhi. The consignment, which listed Santosh’s name on the bill, was delivered by car to a GST-registered firm in Orai’s Indiranagar locality to avoid raising suspicion among local traders. Fazalganj Inspector Dhananjay Singh noted that police are verifying the ownership and transaction history of the Orai firm in coordination with Jalaun police.
Dangerous Adulteration and Expanding Investigation
Chemical experts and police reports indicate that the syndicate was using alprazolam, a central nervous system depressant, as an adulterant to increase the volume and alter the potency of mephedrone. Experts warn that mixing a strong stimulant like mephedrone with a sedative like alprazolam poses severe health risks and can prove fatal for users.
Beyond Kanpur and Jalaun, police have found links connecting the traffickers to Barabanki and Farrukhabad. Specific intelligence indicates the availability of large quantities of morphine in the Jaitpura and Safdarganj areas of Barabanki, prompting authorities to prepare two separate police teams to investigate those districts.
