Vadodara drug bust: ₹86.31 lakh hybrid cannabis seized from Alkapuri flat
Synopsis
Gujarat's ANTF raided a Vadodara flat and pulled out ₹86.31 lakh worth of hybrid cannabis — with the accused still on the run. Combined with a ₹6.32 crore meth haul at Surat station and an earlier Ahmedabad bust, the seizures reveal a widening narcotics network that enforcement agencies are now racing to dismantle.
Key Takeaways
ANTF CID Crime seized 2.466 kg of hybrid cannabis worth ₹86.31 lakh from Vatsalya Flat, Jetalpur Road, Vadodara on 13 June .
Total seized property — including ₹3.36 lakh cash , a weighing scale, and a cash-counting machine — valued at ₹89.69 lakh .
Accused Shahidkhan Pathan was not present during the raid and remains absconding .
Case registered under Sections 8(c) and 20(b)(2)(B) of the NDPS Act, 1985 ; investigation transferred to Akota Police Station .
The bust is part of a series: ANTF also raided Ahmedabad's Bopal area earlier in June, and DRI seized ₹6.32 crore methamphetamine at Surat Railway Station in April.
The Anti Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of CID Crime, Gujarat, seized 2.466 kg of hybrid cannabis valued at ₹86.31 lakh from a residential flat in Vadodara's Alkapuri area on 13 June, following a targeted intelligence-based raid. The total value of all seized property — including cash and equipment — stood at ₹89.69 lakh, according to an official ANTF release.
What Was Recovered
Officers of the ANTF Vadodara Zone raided a unit at Vatsalya Flat on Jetalpur Road after receiving specific inputs that narcotic substances were being stored there for sale. Alongside the hybrid cannabis, investigators recovered an electronic weighing scale, a cash-counting machine, and ₹3.36 lakh in cash.
The Accused and Legal Action
The flat has been linked to Shahidkhan Pathan, identified as a resident of the premises. Pathan was not present at the time of the raid and is currently absconding, according to the complaint. A case has been registered under Sections 8(c) and 20(b)(2)(B) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Investigation has been transferred to Akota Police Station in Vadodara.
Part of a Broader Enforcement Drive
This seizure is part of a sustained crackdown on narcotics trafficking across Gujarat. Earlier in June, an ANTF raid in Ahmedabad's Bopal area led to the recovery of MD drugs, cocaine, and cannabis, with the total haul valued at approximately ₹18 lakh. Separately, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in April seized 6.32 kg of methamphetamine worth ₹6.32 crore from a passenger at Surat Railway Station, recovered from specially designed cavities in luggage.
What Happens Next
With the primary accused still at large, Akota Police Station is now leading the investigation. Authorities are expected to pursue Pathan's arrest while examining the supply chain behind the stored contraband. The pattern of recent seizures — spanning Vadodara, Ahmedabad, and Surat — signals that enforcement agencies are widening their operational net across the state.
Point of View
A cash-counting machine, and a flat used as a storage node suggest a distribution operation, not casual possession. That the accused was absent and is now absconding raises questions about whether enforcement agencies had advance warning he could have had too. Read alongside the Surat meth haul and the Ahmedabad bust, Gujarat is clearly a transit and storage corridor for multiple drug categories. The ANTF's intelligence-led approach is yielding results, but the repeat pattern of accused persons evading arrest at the time of raids points to a gap between intelligence gathering and operational execution.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was seized in the Vadodara drug raid on 13 June?
ANTF officers seized 2.466 kg of hybrid cannabis valued at ₹86.31 lakh from a flat in Vadodara's Alkapuri area. They also recovered an electronic weighing scale, a cash-counting machine, and ₹3.36 lakh in cash, bringing total seized property to ₹89.69 lakh.
Who is the accused in the Vadodara cannabis case?
The accused is Shahidkhan Pathan, identified as a resident of the flat where the contraband was found. He was not present during the raid and is currently absconding, according to the official complaint.
Under which law has the case been registered?
A case has been registered under Sections 8(c) and 20(b)(2)(B) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Further investigation has been handed to Akota Police Station in Vadodara.
Is this part of a larger anti-narcotics drive in Gujarat?
Yes. Earlier in June, an ANTF raid in Ahmedabad's Bopal area recovered MD drugs, cocaine, and cannabis worth around ₹18 lakh. In April, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence seized 6.32 kg of methamphetamine worth ₹6.32 crore from a passenger at Surat Railway Station.
What is hybrid cannabis and why is it significant?
Hybrid cannabis refers to a cross-bred variety of the plant, typically cultivated to produce higher potency than traditional strains. Its high valuation — ₹86.31 lakh for under 2.5 kg — reflects its premium street price and signals a shift toward higher-grade narcotics in Gujarat's illicit drug market.
