NEW DELHI : The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has busted three state-of-the-art laboratories in Gujarat and Rajasthan where synthetic drugs were being manufactured, and arrested seven people involved in the drug cartel in this connection.
The NCB said they have also seized contraband valued at more than Rs 300 crore during multiple raids and even identified the kingpin of this racket.
NCB Deputy Director General (OEC) Gyaneshwar Singh said information was received by Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of the Gujarat Police from a confidential source regarding clandestine mephedrone manufacturing units operating out of Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Mephedrone, scientifically 4-methylmethcathinone or 4-MMC is a synthetic stimulant of amphetamine and cathinone categories. Street names include drone, M-CAT, white magic, meow-meow and bubble.
To unearth these labs, a joint team of ATS Gujarat Police and the NCB Headquarters Operations Unit (HOU) was constituted by higher-ups. “In an operation spanning over three months, intensive technical and ground surveillance was mounted to identify the persons involved in this network as well as locations of clandestine labs,” the NCB DDG said.
He said on April 27 at around 4 am, simultaneous raids were conducted by joint teams of ATS Gujarat police and NCB HOU, NCB Jodhpur zone and NCB Ahmedabad Zone at three suspected locations, Bhinmal in Jalore, Rajasthan, Osian in Jodhpur, Rajasthan and Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
The official said the raids have led to a total recovery of 149 kg mephedrone (in powder and liquid form), 50kg ephedrine and 200 litres acetone and the arrest of seven accused till now. “Based on the interrogation of the apprehended persons in Gandhinagar, another site has been identified in Amreli (Gujarat), where raids are in progress. More recoveries are expected,” the official said.
He added that the kingpin of the network has been identified and will be nabbed soon. Efforts are on to track and identify the sources of chemicals as well as the distribution network, national and international links, Singh added.
Drugs worth Rs 300 crore siezed
The NCB said they have also seized contraband valued at more than Rs 300 crore during multiple raids and even identified the kingpin of this racket, who will be arrested soon. The NCB DDG said the raids led to a recovery of 149 kg mephedrone (in powder and liquid form), 50kg ephedrine and 200 litres acetone; arrest of seven till now