Mysuru-Mumbai drug couriers used WhatsApp ‘shirt photo’ as a code to hand over Mephedrone pack
Mumbai, Aug. 10 (Agencies)- Unravelling the Rs. 434-crore inter-State drug racket originating in Mysuru, Mumbai’s Sakinaka Police have exposed a bizarre smuggling tactic — a covert ‘shirt photo’ code used to move Mephedrone (MD) between cities.
According to the Police, two separate gangs worked in tandem to move the contraband from a large-scale MD manufacturing unit at Belavatta, on Mysuru’s Outer Ring Road, to Mumbai. One gang transported the drugs to Bengaluru, where an unrelated gang would take over. Instead of speaking to each other, couriers exchanged a WhatsApp photo of a shirt as a secret identification signal, eliminating verbal contact and reducing the risk of exposure.
The latest revelation follows the July 30 raid on a Powai godown, where the Police seized 21.9 kg of MD and chemicals worth Rs. 44 crore from a facility disguised as a colour distribution unit in a residential complex.
Alibi of ‘colour’ business
“The accused told neighbours they were in the colour business. In reality, the godown was a front for storing drugs, chemicals and lab equipment,” said Investigating Officer Dayanand Walave.
DCP Datta Nalawade confirmed that more arrests are imminent. The bust stems from an April 24 arrest in Sakinaka, where the Police caught Sadiq Shaikh (27) with 52 grams of MD. His interrogation set off a chain of raids across Mumbai, Gujarat, and Karnataka, ultimately leading to the seizure of the 22-kg Powai consignment and exposing the scale of the network.
On July 26, Mumbai Police, with assistance of Mysuru Police, stormed the Belavatta factory, recovering 187 kg of MD, precursor chemicals and lab equipment worth Rs. 382 crore. Days later, 4.5 kg of MD worth Rs. 8 crore was found in Kaman village, Vasai. With the Powai seizure added, the total haul stands at over 213.5 kg of MD, valued at nearly Rs. 434 crore. So far, eight people have been arrested — four linked to the Mumbai-Gujarat-Mysuru nexus and four tied directly to the Mysuru factory.
Three have criminal histories, including one with 16 prior cases under the NDPS Act and for assault. Investigations under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act continue, as Police work to dismantle the peddling network and trace the raw material supply chain.
This post was published on August 10, 2025 7:38 pm