In a significant crackdown on narcotics trafficking, the Ahmedabad City Crime Branch apprehended a 42-year-old man and confiscated a substantial quantity of mephedrone, commonly known as MD, valued at approximately Rs 10 lakh. The operation unfolded in the city's Juhapura area following a late-night raid on Saturday.
Tip-Off Leads to Major Drug Bust
Acting on precise intelligence received earlier that day, a specialized team from the crime branch moved swiftly to conduct a search at a residential property in Ronak Park Society. This society is situated behind the APMC market on the 132-foot Ring Road. The target of the raid was identified as Moinuddin Shaikh.
Officers, operating strictly under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and in the presence of independent panch witnesses, discovered multiple zip-lock packets containing suspected drugs cleverly hidden within his kitchen.
Detailed Recovery Points to Retail Trafficking
The search yielded a total of 96.77 grams of mephedrone in powder form, found stored in various plastic pouches concealed beneath the kitchen platform. Investigators noted that the recovery also included a small amount of dark brown powder, a digital weighing scale, and several empty zip-lock bags. This combination of items strongly suggests that the accused was engaged in retail-level drug trafficking, preparing and selling substances in small quantities.
In a further discovery, police located and seized six bottles of codeine phosphate-based cough syrup from the bathroom area of the house. An officer from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) conducted preliminary tests on-site, confirming the seized white and light brown powders to be mephedrone, a potent synthetic stimulant.
Investigation Uncovers Supply Chain and Legal Action
Alongside the narcotics, authorities recovered two mobile phones believed to have been used for coordinating drug transactions. During interrogation, Moinuddin Shaikh reportedly informed the police that the contraband was supplied to him just a day prior by another individual, named as Mozam Yakub Ghoghari, also a resident of Juhapura. The drugs were intended for sale in smaller units.
The police have placed the total value of the confiscated drugs at around Rs 9.67 lakh in the illicit market. Based on the evidence gathered, the DCB police have formally registered a case against Shaikh. The charges invoked include sections 8(c), 21(b), 22(c), and 29 of the stringent NDPS Act, which cover offenses related to production, possession, sale, and conspiracy concerning narcotic drugs.
This arrest underscores the ongoing efforts by Ahmedabad police to dismantle local drug networks and curb the spread of synthetic drugs within the city.
