Lonikand police have arrested seven people and seized 128.3 grams of mephedrone, three country-made pistols, five live cartridges, three cars and mobile phones in a wider operation in and around Koregaon Bhima and Perne in Pune district. Police valued the seized material and vehicles at about Rs 23 lakh.
The arrests followed an operation conducted after police personnel received confidential information during patrols on October 29. Police constables Shubham Chinke and Sudhir Shivle detained Pratik alias Sonya Dattatray Hole, 35, a resident of Lonikand, near Katkewadi Phata. Officers said they recovered 19.4 grams of mephedrone, one country-made pistol, two live cartridges, a mobile phone and a Tata Safari from him. The value of this seizure was placed at Rs 9.22 lakh.
During the investigation that followed, police detained Vishal Shivaji Makar, 26, from Dhoksangvi in Shirur taluka, and Somnath Sanjay Gore, 24, from Handewadi in Hadapsar, at Khandobamal in Lonikand. Police said two country-made pistols and three live cartridges, valued at Rs 63,000, were recovered from them.
Acting on further information, officers laid a trap near the old toll plaza at Perne and arrested four more people: Vishal alias Dada Ramdas Kolte, Rajuram Umredam Chanwel, also known as Chaudhary, Vaibhav Balu Khedkar and Shivam Prashant Dedge. Police said this group was found with 108.9 grams of mephedrone, mobile phones and two Swift cars. The value of the seizure in this operation was estimated at Rs 13.36 lakh.
All seven accused were remanded to police custody until November 6, according to the report. Assistant Police Inspector Gajanan Kagane is conducting the investigation. The case covers locations connected to Lonikand, Perne, Koregaon Bhima, Shirur and Hadapsar, bringing together drug enforcement, illegal firearms and vehicle-linked movement across Pune’s expanding urban periphery.
Police said the investigation is now focused on tracing the supply chain for mephedrone and country-made firearms. Senior Police Inspector Sunita Rokade said officers were examining forward and backward links in the alleged criminal network, identifying connected individuals and verifying financial transactions.
The operation involved Assistant Commissioner of Police Anita More, Senior Police Inspector Sunita Rokade, Police Inspector Swati Khedkar, Assistant Police Inspector Gajanan Kagane, Sub-Inspector Swati Dambale and personnel from Lonikand police station. The next stage of the investigation will focus on the alleged supply network, associated people and financial links, police said.
