Mystery Drug Trail Ends on Lucknow Highway as STF Busts ₹80 Lakh MDMA Network

Lucknow | December 3, 2025 A routine intelligence alert turned into a massive breakthrough on Wednesday morning when the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) intercepted an SUV on Sultanpur Road and uncovered a drug trail stretching across several states. Two men — identified as Mohammad Mujeeb from Lucknow’s Lalbagh area and Mukesh Singh from Sant Ravidas Nagar district — were arrested after officers found 523 grams of MDMA hidden in the vehicle. Officials estimate the seized quantity to be worth nearly ₹80 lakh in the international market. The arrest took place around 8:55 am near Gabbar Dhaba under Gosainganj police station limits. According to STF officials, the team had been monitoring the suspects after receiving a tip-off that two traffickers were transporting illegal drugs along the Sultanpur Road stretch. A team led by DSP Dharmesh Kumar Shahi tracked the SUV and moved in when the suspects slowed down near the dhaba. Inside the vehicle, officers found not only the MDMA but also a mobile phone, ₹2,500 cash, personal identification cards, and the SUV itself, all of which were seized as evidence. The STF said they have been conducting regular operations against drug networks operating across Uttar Pradesh, and this operation was part of that ongoing effort. During questioning, Mujeeb allegedly revealed that he was part of a larger interstate drug syndicate with connections in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Mumbai, and Bihar. What surprised investigators was his claim that he manufactured the MDMA at home using banned chemicals. He also told officers that he learned the process from Abhay Singh, a Varanasi resident who had previously been arrested in Mumbai for the same drug and was recently released from jail. Officials said the seized consignment was meant to be transported from Lucknow to Varanasi, with Mukesh acting as a carrier. According to the accused, Mukesh regularly worked for Abhay Singh and his brother Anuj, who appear to play a major role in the distribution chain. A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered at Gosainganj police station. Teams are now tracing the larger network, especially those involved in supplying chemicals and distributing the final product. MDMA, often referred to as a party drug abroad, is a synthetic substance known for its stimulant and psychedelic effects, and its production, sale, and use are strictly banned in India. Investigators believe this bust will help uncover more hidden networks operating across the state. The STF says the operation is far from over, with more arrests expected as they chase the remaining links in this interstate chain. Mystery Drug Trail Ends on Lucknow Highway as STF Busts ₹80 Lakh MDMA Network A major drug trail came to a sudden stop on a Lucknow highway after the Uttar Pradesh STF caught two alleged traffickers with MDMA worth nearly ₹80 lakh. The arrests were made near Gabbar Dhaba on Sultanpur Road, where an SUV was intercepted based on an intelligence alert. Inside the vehicle, officers found 523 grams of MDMA along with cash, phones, and ID cards. The suspects — Mohammad Mujeeb from Lucknow’s Lalbagh and Mukesh Singh from Sant Ravidas Nagar — were taken into custody. During questioning, they admitted to being part of a wider interstate network that supplied MDMA across Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Mumbai, and Bihar. What shocked officers was Mujeeb’s claim that he made the drug at home by mixing banned chemicals. He said he learned the process from Abhay Singh, a Varanasi resident who was earlier arrested in Mumbai and recently released from jail. Officials said the seized consignment was meant to be taken from Lucknow to Varanasi, with Mukesh working as a carrier for the group. The STF team, led by DSP Dharmesh Kumar Shahi, had been tracking their movement after receiving specific information about two traffickers travelling in an SUV. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered at Gosainganj police station, and the STF is now working to trace others involved in the network. Officers believe this operation will help uncover more links in the chain, especially the supply of chemicals and the larger distribution system. MDMA, a banned synthetic drug known for its stimulant effects, has been circulating through hidden routes, and officials say this bust is a big step toward stopping such networks.