AHMEDABAD: In a major crackdown on interstate drug trafficking, Gujarat’s Ahmedabad City Crime Branch, in coordination with the Surat Crime Branch, has arrested three alleged drug traffickers and seized narcotics worth more than ₹25 crore near the CTM Express Highway toll plaza.
The operation has exposed a suspected supply network targeting multiple locations across Gujarat, with the accused facing interrogation over their alleged roles in the illegal trade.
Gujarat’s fight against drug trafficking has scored a significant breakthrough, with a joint operation by the Ahmedabad and Surat Crime Branches dismantling an alleged interstate narcotics network within the jurisdiction of Ramol Police Station.
Acting together, the two units intercepted three suspects near the CTM Express Highway toll plaza and recovered substantial quantities of mephedrone and heroin, dealing a major blow to the suspected supply chain operating across state boundaries.
According to the police, the seized consignment included 2,497.490 grams of mephedrone (MD) and 4,531.220 grams of heroin. Investigators have assessed the value of mephedrone at approximately ₹1.2 crore per kilogram and heroin at ₹5 crore per kilogram. The seizure has been valued at more than ₹25 crore, highlighting the scale of the alleged operation and the potential reach of the trafficking network.
Police suspect that the narcotics were intended for distribution at various locations across Gujarat. Consequently, investigators are questioning the three arrested men to establish the source of the drugs, identify their intended recipients and trace the wider network involved in transporting and supplying the contraband.
The accused have been identified as Tifel Nokhej, 44, from New Delhi; Mohammad Imran Alvi, 38, from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh; and Kafeel Ahmed, 59, from New Delhi. Police records indicate that all three have previously faced allegations or arrests in connection with criminal activities.
Nokhej reportedly has a history of involvement in major narcotics cases. He was allegedly linked to the smuggling of 100 grams of heroin in Amritsar in 2014 and subsequently acted as a scout or escort, commonly known as a pilot in drug-trafficking operations, during a reported 300-kilogram heroin smuggling operation in 2019.
Meanwhile, Alvi is reportedly implicated in cases involving molestation, human trafficking-related illegal migration rackets and fraud. His alleged criminal connections are now under scrutiny as investigators examine whether the current seizure is linked to a broader interstate operation.
Ahmed, the third accused, also has an extensive reported criminal history. He was previously apprehended in Jaipur with 18.5 kilograms of charas, in Ahmedabad with 100 grams of mephedrone, and in Rajasthan with three kilograms of alprazolam while on parole.
With all three suspects in custody, the Crime Branch is now working to uncover the network's supply routes, financial links and distribution channels. The investigation could reveal further connections behind the alleged trafficking operation targeting Gujarat.
