Has Gujarat's Crime Branch Uncovered an Interstate Drug Racket?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Crime Branch Arrests a husband-and-wife duo in a significant drug bust.
- Seized 357.750 grams of Mephedrone worth Rs 36.40 lakh.
- Uncovered a drug pipeline from Rajasthan to Uttar Pradesh.
- Ongoing efforts to locate the main supplier and other accomplices.
- Gujarat faces increasing challenges with drug trafficking.
Ahmedabad, Dec 1 (NationPress) The Ahmedabad City Crime Branch in Gujarat has apprehended a husband-and-wife team in Vadaj, uncovering a significant stash of MD (Mephedrone) valued at several lakhs of rupees.
The operation was conducted based on reliable intelligence, revealing an interstate drug pipeline that spans from Rajasthan to Uttar Pradesh.
Authorities reported that the Crime Branch received credible tips regarding Kamlesh Bishnoi, originally from Rajasthan, and his spouse Rajeshwari, residing in Khat Colony near Akhbarnagar Circle in Vadaj. They were allegedly hoarding and distributing drugs from their home.
In response, a team of Crime Branch officers executed a raid on their residence, adhering to all protocols outlined in the NDPS Act and in the presence of independent witnesses.
During the search, officers discovered suspicious substances in the couple’s pockets and a plastic container inside their home.
Immediate testing by experts from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) confirmed that the material was indeed Mephedrone. A total of 357.750 grams of MD, worth around Rs 35.77 lakh, was confiscated.
Additionally, Rs 22,800 in cash, two mobile phones, and an electric weighing scale were seized, bringing the total value of the confiscated items to Rs 36.40 lakh. Interrogation of the couple unveiled the broader scope of the operation: the drugs were reportedly supplied by Subhash Godara, a relative residing in Sanchore, Rajasthan.
Investigators have traced Godara, who is currently on the run, as the source of the narcotics from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, indicating a more extensive interstate network.
The apprehended couple confessed to selling the drugs to local users across Ahmedabad.
This operation marks a significant disruption of a critical supply chain within the city, as a case has been filed under the pertinent sections of the NDPS Act. Efforts are underway to locate the main supplier and other associates involved in this drug ring.
In recent years, Gujarat has become a notable hotspot for drug trafficking, with authorities seizing nearly 87,600 kg of narcotics worth around Rs 16,000 crore across the state.
In 2024 alone, law enforcement agencies have confiscated narcotics valued at Rs 7,303 crore and arrested over 800 individuals under the NDPS Act, highlighting a marked increase in trafficking attempts.
Coastal routes remain particularly vulnerable, as drugs worth Rs 485 crore have been seized from Gujarat’s coastline in just two years, emphasizing the state's escalating challenges in combating both inland and maritime smuggling operations.