Is there a growing drug racket in Gujarat?

Himmatnagar (Gujarat), May 20 (NationPress) In a significant crackdown on narcotics trafficking, the State Monitoring Cell (SMC) of the Gujarat Police executed a meticulously planned raid against an illicit drug operation in the Sabarkantha district of the state.

Following intelligence inputs, the SMC team targeted the residence of Khursidkhan Sadatkhan Pathan in Sanjarnagar, Madani Society, located in Himmatnagar city.

This two-day operation, carried out under the provisions of the NDPS Act Sections 8(C), 22(C), 29 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act Sections 111(3) and 111(4), resulted in a significant seizure of drugs and related items. The team uncovered 195.280 grams of Mephedrone, a prohibited synthetic stimulant, with an estimated worth of Rs 19,52,800. Additionally, the police confiscated two mobile phones valued at Rs 10,000, Rs 79,280 in cash, two weighing scales worth Rs 1,000, and 136 blank zipper bags typically used for drug packaging.

The total estimated value of the seized items amounts to Rs 20,43,080. The operation was spearheaded by Police Inspector (PI) C.B. Chaudhari and PSI V.K. Rathod from the State Monitoring Cell Police Station.

During this operation, two suspects were apprehended. The primary suspect, Khursidkhan Sadatkhan Pathan, is accused of storing and distributing Mephedrone from his home. He has a criminal background, having been previously charged in 2007 at Sector 7 Police Station in Gandhinagar under IPC Sections 365 (kidnapping), 384 (extortion), and 403 (misappropriation of property). The second suspect, Nomanmiya Sakirmiya Parmar, hailing from Kasba Vad in Harsol village, Talod taluka, Sabarkantha, was allegedly purchasing the narcotics. He also has prior criminal records, including IPC Sections 504 and 506(2) for criminal intimidation, registered at Talod Police Station in 2021.

The SMC has also identified a third suspect, Irfankhan Nisarkhan Pathan, as wanted in this case. A resident of the same area as Khursidkhan, Irfankhan is suspected of procuring the Mephedrone from Madhya Pradesh and supplying it to Khursidkhan for distribution. He is considered a crucial connection in the supply chain. Notably, Irfankhan has a previous NDPS case registered at Himmatnagar A Division Police Station (Cr. No. 1751/2021), which involved the seizure of 348.600 grams of Mephedrone valued at Rs 34.86 lakh.

He was granted bail six months ago in that case. Gujarat has increasingly become a focal point in India's efforts against narcotics, with recent statistics showing a significant rise in drug seizures and arrests. In 2024 alone, authorities have confiscated narcotic and psychotropic substances worth Rs 7,303 crore, a large portion of which was initially destined for Punjab. However, the surge in local seizures within the state indicates a growing trend in the consumption of synthetic drugs like Mephedrone.

The state's strategic position, with its extensive coastline and major ports, has established it as a vital transit hub for drug trafficking, prompting law enforcement agencies to intensify vigilance and operations.

In another significant operation, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), in partnership with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), seized 907 kg of Mephedrone from a manufacturing site in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Highlighting the state's proactive stance, the Gujarat government has rewarded over Rs 11 crore to 970 informants over the last three years for their contributions to drug-related arrests.