NCB busts drug manufacturing labs in Gujarat, Rajasthan; contrabands worth Rs 300 crore seized

According to the NCB, the raids are in progress at a fourth location in Amreli in Gujarat.

The police have recovered 149 kg mephedrone in powder and liquid forms, along with 50 kg Ephedrine and 200 litre of Acetone in the overnight operation.

The joint raids came after the Gujarat ATS received information from “a confidential source” regarding clandestine Mephedrone manufacturing labs operating from Gujarat and Rajasthan.

A statement from Gyaneshwar Singh, Deputy Director General (OEC), said, “To bust these labs, a joint team of Gujarat ATS and NCB Headquarters Operations unit was constituted. 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. On April 27, simultaneous raids were conducted by joint teams of Gujarat ATS and NCB headquarter operations unit, NCB Jodhpur zone and NCB Ahmedabad Zone at three suspected locations — Bhinmal in Jalore district Rajasthan, Osian in Jodhpur District of Rajasthan and Gandhinagar district in Gujarat.”

#WATCH | Ahmedabad, Gujarat: Under Operation Prayogsala-1, the Narcotics Control Bureau, in a joint operation with Gujarat Police, has busted multiple clandestine drug (Mephedrone) manufacturing labs. In the operation, three state-of-the-art laboratories were busted in Gujarat… pic.twitter.com/xQ42eiNrks

— ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2024

Singha added that a fourth raid is underway based on the information received during the interrogation of the seven apprehended persons in Gandhinagar. The police are also tracking and identifying the source of precursor chemicals as well as the distribution network, both national and international linkages.

Mephedrone, also known as 4-methylmethcathinone, 4-MMC, and 4-methylephedrone, is a synthetic stimulant drug of the amphetamine and cathinone classes. Slang names include drone, M-CAT, White Magic, “meow meow” and bubble.