Gujarat ATS, NCB seize narcotics worth ₹1814 cr from a factory in Madhya Pradesh
The operation also led to the arrest of two key individuals allegedly involved in the illegal manufacturing and distribution of the banned substance
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), in a joint effort with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Delhi, seized 907 kg of Mephedrone (MD) from a manufacturing facility in the Bagroda Industrial Area of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
The estimated value of the seized narcotic in the international market stands at approximately ₹1814.18 crores, as per officials from the Gujarat ATS. The operation also led to the arrest of two key individuals, Amit Prakashchandra Chaturvedi, aged 57 years, and Sanyal Prakash Bane, aged 40, allegedly involved in the illegal manufacturing and distribution of the banned substance.
The raid, led by deputy superintendent of police S.L. Chaudhary of the Gujarat ATS, was conducted on October 5, after the authorities received confidential information about a major drug production racket operating from an industrial facility in Bhopal, according to a press statement.
Intelligence inputs indicated that the narcotic drug MD was being produced under the guise of a legal manufacturing unit, it said. Acting on this intel, the ATS and NCB launched a coordinated operation to uncover and dismantle the operation.
Police said that while Chaturvedi is a resident from Kotra Sultanabad Road in Bhopal, Bane is a resident of Nashik, Maharashtra. They were allegedly running the illicit drug operation from a rented shed in the Bagroda Industrial Estate, located on the outskirts of Bhopal, according to Chaudhary.
The investigators found 907.09 kg of Mephedrone in both solid and liquid forms during the raid, along with approximately 5,000 kg of raw materials and various pieces of equipment used in the production process, said Chaudhary.
The seized materials included grinders, motors, glass flasks, heaters, and other apparatus essential for the manufacturing of the drug. Authorities believe that the shed, measuring around 2,500 square feet, was being used as a high-capacity production unit capable of producing around 25 kg of Mephedrone daily.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that Bane had a prior criminal history. In 2017, he was arrested in connection with an MD seizure case registered at the Amboli Police Station in Mumbai, for which he served five years in prison, said Chaudhary. After his release, Bane reportedly conspired with Chaturvedi to re-enter the illegal drug trade, this time on a larger scale, he added.
“The duo had rented a 2,500-square-foot shed in the Bagroda Industrial Estate, Bhopal, around 6-7 months ago. Over the past 3-4 months, they had gathered the necessary raw materials and equipment to begin manufacturing MD, producing approximately 25 kg of the drug per day. This operation has been labelled the largest illegal Mephedrone factory ever busted by ATS Gujarat,” said Chaudhary.
The Bhopal drug bust follows a massive drug haul by the Delhi police on October 4 in Mahipalpur where narcotics worth ₹5,600 crore were seized.
Two days later, on October 6, during his two-day visit to Gujarat, Union home minister Amit Shah, while addressing a rally in his hometown of Mansa, criticised the Congress party in connection with the recent Delhi drug bust. He pointed to the arrest of the main accused, Tushar Goyal, for his role in the drug operation, highlighting his alleged ties to the Congress, and raised concerns about the party’s involvement in such criminal activities.
During his address, Shah highlighted stark differences between drug seizures during Congress and BJP regimes. He compared statistics, pointing out that between 2004 and 2014, during Congress rule, only 1,52,000 kgs of drugs were seized, worth ₹768 crores. In contrast, under the Modi government, between 2014 and 2024, drug seizures reached 5,43,000 kgs, valued at ₹27,600 crores.
He expressed his concern over the stark contrast, wondering why such a significant difference existed between the two administrations.
“The answer became clear after the recent drug haul. We dug deep into the roots and found that the mastermind is Tushar Goyal. He was the head of Congress’ IT Cell in Delhi. Now, tell me, can a party whose leader is linked to drug trafficking ever make India drug-free?” Shah questioned.
The Indian Youth Congress issued a statement clarifying that Goyal had been expelled from the organisation on October 17, 2022, due to anti-party activities.