Was a Rs 50 lakh MDMA Drug Racket Busted in Rajasthan?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Police seized over Rs 50 lakh worth of MD drugs.
- Illegal drug manufacturing unit found in secluded forests.
- Three smugglers arrested in the operation.
- Investigation to identify further members of the drug network ongoing.
- Important step in combating drug trafficking in Rajasthan.
Jaipur, Aug 4 (NationPress) In a significant operation against drug trafficking, the Pratapgarh Police successfully seized mephedrone (MD) drugs valued at more than Rs 50 lakh and discovered an illegal drug manufacturing facility concealed deep in the forests of Arnod-Suhagpura in Rajasthan.
Following a tip-off, law enforcement apprehended three smugglers, seizing a substantial quantity of chemicals and equipment utilized for producing synthetic drugs. This operation represents the first major initiative of the year under Section 30 of the NDPS Act in the Pratapgarh district.
Under the guidance of District Superintendent of Police B. Aditya, a police team led by Station Officer Deepak Kumar was conducting patrols near the Zero Mile intersection on Monday when they noticed three suspicious individuals loitering outside the Forest Department quarters.
Upon spotting the police vehicle, the suspects attempted to flee. One of them, Omkar Singh, was apprehended immediately. A subsequent search yielded 213 grams of MD and 332 grams of a local mixing agent referred to as ‘tanka.’
During interrogation, Omkar disclosed the identities of his accomplices - Shyamlal Meena and Ramesh Meena - who were subsequently arrested.
While being questioned, Ramesh revealed that he had been working for Jamshed Khan, a resident of Devaldi, who has previous NDPS cases against him.
According to Ramesh, Jamshed had chosen a secluded forest area to establish an illicit MD manufacturing laboratory to evade law enforcement.
Acting on this intelligence, the police conducted a raid at the site, uncovering jars and containers filled with chemicals such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, hydrochloric acid, and dichloromethane - all of which are commonly used in the production of synthetic drugs.
The suspects had brought the seized MD and chemicals to Shyamlal to finalize a sample deal. Had the transaction been successful, a larger shipment would have been produced in the forest laboratory.
The detained individuals were identified as Omkar Singh (31), a resident of Sadari in Pali; Shyamlal Meena from Khora, Arnod; and Ramesh Meena from Hamakhora, Suhagpura.
A team including SO Deepak Banjara, SI Deepak Kumar, and several constables played a crucial role in this operation. The police are now broadening their investigation to identify other members of the drug syndicate.