{
  "id": 14739475,
  "title": "Badlapur Police Bust MD Drug Lab Inside House; Chemical Engineer Among 2 Arrested",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/badlapur-police-bust-md-drug-lab-inside-house-chemical-engineer-among",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-15T15:25:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/badlapur-police-bust-md-drug-lab-inside-house-chemical-engineer-among-2-arrested"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Badlapur police have dismantled an illegal mephedrone manufacturing unit inside a residential chawl in Mankivli village, Badlapur East. Two individuals, Kokan Surju Pahan and Santosh Vasant Potnis, have been apprehended in connection with the case. Pahan, a 42-year-old resident of Mankivli village and a chemical engineer, is accused of misusing his technical expertise to operate the drug lab. Potnis, a 54-year-old from neighboring Khavrai village, has a history of criminal activity. Police seized chemicals, laboratory equipment, and 11 grams of prepared mephedrone, with an estimated total value of ₹2,17,600. A case has been filed against the two under the NDPS Act, and they have been remanded to police custody until October 19. The investigation aims to uncover the extent of the drug operation's involvement in the area and its potential connections to a wider network.",
  "summary": "Badlapur, October 15, 2026: Badlapur police have busted an illegal mephedrone (MD) manufacturing unit allegedly operating from a house in a residential chawl in Mankivli village, Badlapur East. Two men, including a highly qualified chemical engineer, have been arrested in connection with the case. Police seized chemicals, laboratory equipment and 11 grams of prepared MD, with the total value of…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}