Maharashtra: Woman Arrested With MD Drugs Worth ₹4.4 Lakh In Thane; Police Bust Local Peddling Network Undercover Editor News Agency | Editor – Mahesh Rathod Thane: In a significant crackdown on the rising drug trade in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, the Khadakpada Police in Thane district have arrested a woman allegedly involved in a local mephedrone (MD) trafficking network. Officials seized 22 grams of MD, valued at ₹4.4 lakh, from her possession during a routine surveillance operation in Kalyan’s Vadavali area. The accused, identified as Fatima Tarbez Jaffri, a resident of Ambivli, was detained on December 5 after her suspicious behaviour caught the attention of patrolling officers. According to the police, Jaffri was stopped for questioning, and a subsequent search revealed the narcotic substance concealed in her belongings. She was immediately taken into custody, and the recovered contraband was seized as evidence. “We intercepted her based on suspicious movement. A search led to the recovery of 22 grams of MD. She has been booked under the NDPS Act,” said an officer from Khadakpada Police Station. Police believe she may be linked to a larger local peddling network operating in Kalyan, and further investigation is underway to trace her suppliers and buyers. DRI Busts International Courier: ₹17.18 Crore Cocaine Seized at Mumbai Airport The arrest comes on the heels of another major narcotics operation in Mumbai last month. In a targeted intelligence-based strike, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai Zonal Unit, intercepted a Tanzanian passenger arriving from Entebbe, Uganda, at CSMIA airport. A detailed search of her baggage led to the recovery of 1.718 kg of cocaine, cleverly concealed inside food packets, plastic containers and even ingested capsules. The seized drugs are valued at ₹17.18 crore in the illicit market. The passenger was arrested under the NDPS Act and remanded to judicial custody. Officials said the operation reinforces the agency’s commitment towards a “Nasha Mukt Bharat”, targeting both local peddlers and international drug syndicates. Rising Concern: Local Peddlers & International Links The Thane police believe that the arrest of Fatima Jaffri highlights the growing involvement of women and youth in low-level distribution networks of synthetic drugs like MD — often used in party circuits across Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan and Navi Mumbai. Authorities are now examining: Undercover Editor Insight: A Larger Drug Map?       This arrest adds to a series of narcotics seizures in recent months, raising a serious question: Is MMR witnessing a coordinated surge in synthetic drug supply? Police agencies say they are intensifying surveillance, especially in Kalyan, Bhiwandi and Ulhasnagar — areas increasingly being used for storage and micro-distribution of MD. Investigations are ongoing.