Second illegal mephedrone factory busted on Bhopals outskirts in major DRI operation

BHOPAL: Are the outskirts of Madhya Pradesh's capital turning into a fertile ground for the illegal manufacturing of synthetic drugs? A major drug cartel, reportedly operated by an overseas handler with key operatives active across multiple states, has been busted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) with the arrest of seven individuals from four different states. At the centre of the cartel was an illicit Mephedrone drug manufacturing unit operating from Jagdishpur (Islampur) village, on the outskirts of Bhopal. The factory, which was busted on Saturday, is the second illegal synthetic drug manufacturing unit to be dismantled in the vicinity of the MP capital within ten months. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the DRI, working in coordination with police forces from multiple states, including Mumbai and Surat, raided the clandestine Mephedrone manufacturing facility as part of a focused and coordinated operation code-named Operation Crystal Break. The operation commenced on Saturday with the search of the illegal factory located in Jagdishpur (Islamnagar) village of Huzur Tehsil in Bhopal district. It led to the seizure of 61.20 kg of liquid Mephedrone, valued at 92 crore in the illicit market. Additionally, 541.53 kg of raw materials were recovered, including Methylene Dichloride, Acetone, Monomethylamine (MMA), Hydrochloric Acid (HCL), and 2-Bromo, along with a full set of drug-processing equipment, according to an official statement from the DRI released on Monday. The secluded factory had been deliberately concealed from all sides to avoid detection. Two individuals, including the chemist responsible for producing the Mephedrone, were arrested on-site while engaged in the illegal manufacturing process. The initial raid was swiftly followed by operations in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, which helped unearth the full extent of the inter-state drug cartel. A key operative was arrested in Basti district, eastern Uttar Pradesh, responsible for overseeing the supply of raw materials from Bhiwandi (Mumbai) to Bhopal. Two suppliers who had illegally provided the chemicals were apprehended in Mumbai, along with a logistics handler responsible for transporting the raw materials to the Bhopal facility. Preliminary investigations revealed that funding for the cartels operations was being routed through hawala channels from Surat and Mumbai to Bhopal. A close associate of the cartel managing the funds transfer was also apprehended in Surat. All seven arrested individuals have confessed to their respective roles in the illicit Mephedrone manufacturing racket, allegedly operating under instructions from an overseas kingpin involved in coordinating the synthetic drug trade across India. Mephedrone, a psychotropic substance listed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, is considered a serious threat to public health due to its psychoactive properties and effects similar to those of cocaine and amphetamines. This is the sixth clandestine Mephedrone factory dismantled by the DRI in the past year across India and the second such facility uncovered by central agencies in Bhopals outskirts in the last ten months. In October 2024, the largest illegal synthetic drug factory in the country was busted in the Bagroda Industrial Area near Bhopal, during a joint operation by the Gujarat Police Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Delhi. That raid led to the seizure of 907.09 kg of Mephedrone (in both solid and liquid forms), reportedly worth 1,814 crore in the international market. The facility had the capacity to produce 25 kg of Mephedrone daily, with an estimated street value of around 50 crore per day.