The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in a joint operation titled 'Operation Prayogshara' with the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Saturday raided three clandestine drug manufacturing laboratories in Gujarat and Rajasthan and made approximately Drugs worth Rs 300 million were seized.
The NCB announced that at least seven people involved in the drug cartel have been arrested and the key persons have been identified and will be arrested soon.
The NCB said raids were underway at a fourth location in Amreli, Gujarat.
Police recovered 149 kg of powdered and liquid mephedrone, 50 kg of ephedrine and 200 liters of acetone during the night raid.
The joint raid was carried out after the Gujarat ATS received information from “confidential sources” about secret mephedrone manufacturing laboratories operating in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
A statement by Deputy Commissioner (OEC) Gyaneshwar Singh said, “A joint team of Gujarat ATS and NCB Headquarters Operations Wing has been formed to bring down these laboratories. In an operation spanning over three months, the network was implicated. Intensive technical and ground surveillance was launched on April 27 to identify the persons involved and the location of the secret laboratory. Simultaneous raids were carried out by joint teams from Ahmedabad zone at three suspected locations in Bhimmar in Jalore district of Rajasthan, Ossian in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan and Gandhinagar district of Gujarat.
Sinha added that a fourth raid is underway based on information received during interrogation of seven people arrested in Gandhinagar. Police are also tracing and identifying the source of the precursor chemicals and their domestic and international distribution networks.
Mephedrone, also known as 4-methylmethcathinone, 4-MMC, and 4-methylephedrone, is a synthetic stimulant in the amphetamine and cathinone classes. Slang terms include drone, M-CAT, White Magic, “meow meow” and bubble.
© Indian Express Private Limited
Date first uploaded: April 27, 2024 19:57 IST
