A major operation against illegal narcotics has been carried out in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur district, with authorities raiding a poultry farm on the outskirts of Hajgoli village in Chandgad tehsil, close to the Karnataka-Maharashtra border. 208 grams of narcotic substances valued at around ₹11.3 crore, chemicals, machinery and other equipment were seized, and the drug manufacturing equipment was seized.
A raid was conducted by officials after they found illegal narcotics were being manufactured at the farm, they said. It is only about 25 kilometres from Belagavi, and so drug manufacturing and supply networks along the border region might mushroom.
The authorities investigated the site and found material that indicated the site was being used for narcotics-related activities, the report said. Besides the drugs seized, chemicals, machines and other equipment believed to be involved in the manufacturing process were also seized.
Mumbai Operation Provided Key Lead
Investigators had received crucial information from an earlier anti-drug operation in Mumbai. Following the Mumbai case, law enforcement officials started monitoring activities in the Hajgoli area.
Personnel in the Pune unit spent approximately three days gathering information while posing as ordinary members of the public. These officials monitored movements and gathered intelligence on suspected drug manufacturing and distribution activities during that time period, and it was said investigators were in contact with officials there.
After receiving what they felt was enough information, the team started the operation at the poultry farm.
Seven People Arrested
Seven people were arrested in connection with the raid, including two Belagavi residents, officials added. The investigators are looking for other people who are part of the alleged drug network, they said.
The authorities are also looking at the possible distribution channels. The narcotics allegedly manufactured at the Hajgoli location were not restricted to the local market and may have been supplied to other parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa.
The investigation is now about the full extent of the network, suppliers, financiers, transporters and other people who may have been involved.
Santosh Name Emerged During Investigation
The investigation also made mention of Salim Dola in the case. According to information available, Dola was arrested in Dubai and then taken to India by Delhi Police. During the Mumbai Police investigation into alleged drug trafficking, investigators reportedly found out about a person named Santosh from Chandgad who is connected to the suspected narcotics network.
Santosh was later arrested and questioned. During the interrogation, investigators learned about a suspected drug manufacturing facility operating from a poultry farm in Hajgoli.
This information became the basis for the subsequent raid.
Location Close to Karnataka Border Raises Concern
The location of the alleged manufacturing facility has added another dimension to the investigation. Hajgoli is situated close to the Karnataka border and is approximately 25 km from Belagavi.
The authorities are now investigating whether the network has links with drug distribution channels operating in Karnataka and other neighbouring states. Previous investigations in the Chandgad region have suggested that narcotics were being supplied towards Bengaluru.
And now the latest case has raised questions about whether the Hajgoli network was also connected to major cities in Karnataka.
Investigators will probe the source of the chemicals and machinery, the people who allegedly financed the operation, the production process and routes to transport the finished narcotics.
Investigation Into Wider Network Underway
The seizure of drugs and manufacturing equipment from a poultry farm has raised concerns over the use of seemingly ordinary properties for illegal activities. The government and investigators are now trying to establish how long the alleged operation had been functioning and how extensive its distribution network was.
The seven arrested suspects are being questioned, and investigators are looking for additional people who may have played a role in the operation, they said.
The case could also provide information on interstate drug trafficking routes between Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa. Details of the investigation will emerge further as it develops.
For now, the Hajgoli raid is a major anti-narcotics operation in the border region, and authorities are working to dismantle the alleged manufacturing and supply network and to locate everyone involved.
