Ahmedabad: The city crime branch on Sunday arrested a 34-year-old man from Rakhial with nearly 88 grams of mephedrone (MD) valued at Rs 2.8 lakh, and uncovered an alleged supply syndicate extending to Madhya Pradesh.
The accused, Sameer Pathan (34), a resident of Gujarat Housing Board quarters in Rakhial, was apprehended from an open ground near Morarji Chowk in the area. Police stated that during interrogation, Pathan allegedly revealed that he had procured the contraband on the instructions of a man named Salman Khan, a resident of Sundaram Nagar in Bapunagar. Pathan told police he traveled in his vehicle to the Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh border to collect the package.
The accused reportedly informed police that an individual known as Aftab handed over the mephedrone near Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh. He then transported the narcotics to Ahmedabad, arriving in the city early in the morning. He was intercepted by police later that day.
Investigators are now searching for Khan and Aftab, also known as Golu. A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act against the arrested accused and his alleged associates. Police officials stated that the investigation is focused on establishing the source of the narcotics, identifying other members of the network, and determining whether additional consignments had previously been transported through the same route.
Authorities are also examining Pathan's phone records and travel history to trace any previous deliveries. The seizure of mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant often used recreationally, highlights ongoing efforts to curb drug trafficking in the region. Further arrests are anticipated as the probe deepens into the cross-border supply chain.
