The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), in a joint effort with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Delhi, confiscated 907 kg of Mephedrone (MD) from a production site in the Bagroda Industrial Area of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
According to officials from the Gujarat ATS, the narcotic that was confiscated has an estimated worth of Rs 1814.18 crore on the international market. Two important people, Amit Prakashchandra Chaturvedi, 57, and Sanyal Prakash Bane, 40, who were reportedly engaged in the illicit production and distribution of the illegal substance, were also apprehended as a result of the operation.
The authorities obtained confidential details regarding a large-scale drug production racket operating out of an industrial location in Bhopal, and on October 5, under the supervision of Gujarat ATS deputy superintendent of police SL Chaudhary, they launched a raid.
Intelligence inputs indicated that the illegal manufacturing operation was being used to generate the narcotic substance MD. The ATS and NCB coordinated a plan to find and shut down the operation based on this intelligence.
According to police, Bane lives in Nashik, Maharashtra, while Chaturvedi lives on Kotra Sultanabad Road in Bhopal. Chaudhary said that they were operating the drug trafficking ring out of a leased shed in the Bagroda Industrial Estate, which is situated on the outskirts of Bhopal.
During the operation, the investigators discovered 907.09 kg of mephedrone in both liquid and solid form, in addition to over 5,000 kg of raw ingredients and several pieces of equipment used in the manufacturing process.
Glass flasks, heaters, grinders, motors, and other apparatus needed for the drug’s production were among the items that were confiscated. According to authorities, the shed, which is around 2,500 square feet in dimensions, was being utilised as a high-capacity production facility that could produce about 25 kg of mephedrone per day.
According to preliminary findings, Bane had a past criminal record. He served five years in prison after being detained in 2017 in relation to an MD seizure case that was reported to the Amboli Police Station in Mumbai. He said that Bane and Chaturvedi allegedly plotted to re-enter the illicit drug trade, but on a bigger scale, when Bane was freed.
“The duo had rented a 2,500-square-foot shed in the Bagroda Industrial Estate, Bhopal, around 6-7 months ago. Over the past 3-4 months, they had gathered the necessary raw materials and equipment to begin manufacturing MD, producing approximately 25 kg of the drug per day. This operation has been labelled the largest illegal mephedrone factory ever busted by ATS Gujarat,” said Chaudhary.
The drug seizure in Bhopal comes after the Delhi police confiscated a significant amount of narcotics in Mahipalpur on October 4, valued at Rs 5,600 crore.
Sanghavi Praises Law Enforcement Agencies
Gujarat Minister of State for Home, Harsh Sanghavi, praised the Gujarat ATS and NCB Delhi for a massive drug bust at a factory near Bhopal.
https://twitter.com/sanghaviharsh/status/1842812567208546749
“Kudos to Gujarat ATS and NCB (Ops), Delhi, for a massive win in the fight against drugs! Recently, they raided a factory in Bhopal and seized MD and materials used to manufacture MD, with a staggering total value of Rs 1814 crores!” Sanghavi said.
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