Ephedrine powder worth Rs 2,000 cr seized in Maha; five arrested

A huge haul of around 18,600 kg of Ephedrine powder, worth around Rs 2,000 crore, was seized and five persons, including a factory manager, were arrested, police said today.

“A Nigerian national was apprehended on April 10 for possessing half kg MD powder. He had come to sell the powder in Navi Mumbai,” Thane Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh told reporters here. However, during investigations it was revealed he had Ephedrine powder, which is a controlled drug, and not MD powder, he added.

On April 12, two persons - Sagar Powale and Mayur Sukhdare - were arrested here for allegedly possessing around 2 kg of Ephedrine, police said.

Singh said their interrogation revealed the source of the drug was a factory in Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area in Solapur (West Maharashtra).

An alleged drug peddler - Dhaneshwar Swamy was apprehended on April 14 in Solapur and 5.50 kg Ephedrine powder was seized from him, he said.

Swamy led police to the factory where the drug was allegedly being manufactured. Police raided the unit and arrested its senior production manager - Rajendra Dimri, Singh added.