Gujarat Police bust courier drug network, seize 371g mephedrone worth ₹37 lakh
Synopsis
Gujarat Police have cracked a courier-based drug network that was slipping mephedrone past detection by splitting shipments into small parcels — a tactic DCP Ajit Rajian calls a 'new modus operandi.' With ₹37 lakh in narcotics seized and consignments traced to Bengaluru, the bust signals that India's drug supply chains are increasingly hiding inside legitimate logistics infrastructure.
Key Takeaways
Ahmedabad Crime Branch seized 371.55 grams of mephedrone worth ₹37.15 lakh on 21 June in a two-point operation.
Drugs were concealed in small courier parcels at Maruti Courier, Bapunagar , destined for Bengaluru and other states.
Arrested accused: Asuram alias Ashok Kumar Bhadu (Bishnoi) , 32, of Balotra district, Rajasthan .
Wanted accused Hema alias Hemraj Bishnoi (Rajasthan) and alleged Bengaluru recipients are still being traced.
Case registered under Sections 8(c) , 22(c) , and 29 of the NDPS Act at DCB Police Station.
Seized mobile phones to be sent for forensic examination ; investigators are also probing proceeds of crime.
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch of Gujarat Police on Sunday, 21 June dismantled a drug trafficking network that allegedly exploited courier services to move mephedrone in small parcels, seizing a total of 371.55 grams of the narcotic with an estimated commercial value of ₹37.15 lakh. The consignments were reportedly destined for Bengaluru, Karnataka and possibly other states, pointing to an inter-state supply chain.
How the Operation Unfolded
The breakthrough came when Crime Branch personnel apprehended an accused from an open ground near Ved Arcade on SP Ring Road in the Vastral area of Ahmedabad, recovering 20.570 grams of mephedrone valued at ₹2,05,700. During interrogation, the accused revealed that two parcels had already been handed over at Maruti Courier in Shyam Shikhar Complex, Bapunagar for dispatch outside Gujarat.
Acting swiftly on this disclosure, Crime Branch teams raided the courier outlet and recovered an additional 350.98 grams of mephedrone concealed within the parcels, valued at ₹35,09,800. Combined with the initial seizure, the total haul stood at 371.55 grams worth ₹37,15,500.
Seized Property and Case Registered
Beyond the narcotic itself, police also seized two mobile phones worth ₹13,000, ₹470 in cash, and three sealed empty packaging boxes, taking the total value of seized property to ₹37,28,970. A case has been registered at DCB Police Station under Sections 8(c), 22(c), and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The Accused and the Network
The arrested individual has been identified as Asuram alias Ashok Kumar Bhadu (Bishnoi), aged 32, a resident of Balotra district, Rajasthan. Preliminary investigation indicates the drugs were sourced from Rajasthan and funnelled through courier outlets in Bapunagar for distribution across Gujarat and beyond. A wanted accused, identified as Hema alias Hemraj Bishnoi of Rajasthan, and persons in Bengaluru who allegedly ordered the consignments, are currently being traced.
According to investigators, the network relied on telephonic communication and messaging applications to coordinate deliveries, and deliberately broke larger consignments into smaller packages to reduce the risk of detection during parcel checks.
What the Crime Branch Said
DCP (Crime Branch) Ajit Rajian described the operation as exposing a new modus operandi in drug trafficking. 'The squad of Inspector A.P. Jebaliya of the Ahmedabad Crime Branch has, after considerable effort, successfully uncovered a new modus operandi. In this operation, the Crime Branch has seized more than 371 grams of mephedrone. The main accused has been arrested, while the other accused are being traced,' he said.
Rajian further explained the rationale behind the courier-based method: 'Initially, they feared direct delivery due to the possibility of police informants, so they shifted to courier services. However, based on intelligence inputs, this modus operandi was exposed.' He added that the accused were exploiting the practical difficulty of checking every individual parcel in a courier network.
What Comes Next
Technical devices recovered from the accused are to be sent for forensic examination. Investigators say they are working to identify additional links in the supply chain and trace any assets or proceeds of crime potentially acquired through drug money. The case highlights a growing trend of traffickers adapting to law enforcement pressure by migrating to logistics networks — a challenge that extends well beyond Gujarat.
Point of View
Exploiting the sheer volume of courier traffic that makes item-by-item checks impractical. This is not an isolated innovation — similar courier-based drug networks have been flagged in Maharashtra and Delhi NCR in recent years. The real question is whether enforcement agencies are investing in intelligence-led parcel profiling or still relying on tip-offs and informants, as appears to be the case here. Without systemic screening upgrades at courier hubs, busting individual couriers will remain a game of whack-a-mole against a network that can simply rotate its drop points.
NationPress
22 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What drugs were seized in the Ahmedabad courier drug bust?
Ahmedabad Crime Branch seized 371.55 grams of mephedrone (also known as MD) with a commercial value of ₹37.15 lakh on 21 June. The narcotic was concealed in small courier parcels to evade detection.
Who was arrested in the Gujarat mephedrone case?
The arrested accused is Asuram alias Ashok Kumar Bhadu (Bishnoi), aged 32, a resident of Balotra district in Rajasthan. A second accused, Hema alias Hemraj Bishnoi, also of Rajasthan, remains at large and is being traced.
How did the drug network use courier services to traffic narcotics?
According to DCP Ajit Rajian, the network deliberately broke larger mephedrone consignments into smaller packages and dispatched them through courier outlets in Bapunagar, Ahmedabad, to avoid detection during parcel checks. The accused coordinated deliveries via phone calls and messaging apps.
Where were the drug consignments headed?
The parcels were reportedly destined for Bengaluru in Karnataka, and investigators say distribution may have extended to other states as well. Police are currently tracing the individuals in Bengaluru who allegedly placed the orders.
What legal sections have been invoked in the Gujarat drug case?
A case has been registered at DCB Police Station under Sections 8(c), 22(c), and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. These sections cover possession, sale, and conspiracy related to controlled substances.
