Ahmedabad Crime Branch seizes ₹14.63 lakh mephedrone, arrests wanted drug suspect
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch in Gujarat arrested a 27-year-old man allegedly linked to a larger narcotics network and seized mephedrone worth ₹14.63 lakh during a raid in the Danilimda area on 6 May 2025, police said on Friday. The operation marks the latest in a string of anti-narcotics drives across Ahmedabad in recent weeks.
The Arrest and Seizure
The accused, identified as Noman Sheikh, was apprehended from a rented flat at Al-Falah Apartment near Barrel Market in Danilimda following a tip-off received by the Crime Branch. During the raid, officials recovered 468.640 grams of mephedrone — commonly referred to as MD drugs — along with six mobile phones, a weighing scale, and cash. Forensic officials conducted preliminary testing on-site, which reportedly confirmed the substance to be mephedrone.
Prior Criminal Record and Existing Cases
According to police, Sheikh was already wanted in a case registered by the State Monitoring Cell involving 289.770 grams of mephedrone under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigators said records show he had previously been booked in several cases at Sarkhej and Vejalpur police stations, including offences related to assault, robbery, and theft. A fresh case has been registered against him at the DCB police station under Sections 8(C), 22(C), and 29 of the NDPS Act.
Supply Chain and Distribution Network
Sheikh reportedly disclosed during questioning that he procured the narcotic substance from a supplier based outside Gujarat and had been distributing it in Danilimda and nearby localities over the past two months, according to investigators. Police said the disclosure points to a cross-state supply chain feeding into Ahmedabad's drug distribution network — a pattern that has emerged repeatedly in recent Crime Branch operations.
Recent Anti-Narcotics Operations in Ahmedabad
The arrest comes amid an intensified crackdown on narcotics across the city and state. Last month, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch arrested two men in Gheekanta with 412 grams of mephedrone worth ₹12.4 lakh, while the Ahmedabad Rural SOG separately seized hybrid ganja in the Bopal area. In April, Crime Branch officials seized 52.410 grams of mephedrone worth ₹1.57 lakh from Behrampura and arrested two Rajasthan natives in connection with the case. In another significant operation, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized methamphetamine valued at ₹6.32 crore from a passenger at Surat Railway Station.
With multiple agencies now running concurrent operations, authorities are expected to continue pressure on narcotics supply chains across Gujarat in the coming weeks.