A recent crackdown by Nagpur's anti-narcotics cell has uncovered a sophisticated drug syndicate operated from within Nagpur Central Jail by Mumbai-based MD (mephedrone) kingpin Akbar Khan, also known as Akbar Sheikh. Utilizing social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, Khan orchestrated his narcotics operation and recruited inmates, including 29-year-old Chetan Mahato, who had prior charges including murder. The police seized 106 grams of MD powder valued at ₹6 lakh and arrested Mahato during a raid near Kamgar Nagar. Interrogation revealed Khan as the drug supplier, highlighting a broader issue of criminals operating networks from inside prisons using covert online communications. The bust, overseen by senior officers including DCP Rahul Maknikar and CP Ravinder Singal, raises serious concerns about inmate access to technology and the urgent need for reform to prevent the expansion of organized crime behind bars. This operation is part of "Operation Thunder," a citywide anti-drug campaign launched by Nagpur Police, which has already dismantled six drug trafficking networks and arrested 11 drug peddlers between September 3 and 22, 2025. The operation has seized narcotics valued at ₹60 lakh, including significant quantities of MD (mephedrone) and ganja. Authorities have identified 189 drug trafficking hotspots across the city, with a focus on areas near colleges and entertainment hubs, where traffickers have been targeting students. Social media platforms are increasingly being used to contact customers, arrange drug deliveries late at night, and operate covertly, as highlighted by the arrest of a trafficker operating from a rented flat via WhatsApp and Wi-Fi. Despite these successes, six suspects remain at large, and the police are intensifying efforts to dismantle the wider drug network. #NagpurPolice #OperationThunder #DrugBust #AntiNarcotics #OrganizedCrime #PrisonCrime #SocialMediaCrime #PublicSafety #NewsOne
