In a significant crackdown on narcotics manufacturing and trafficking, a multi-agency operation led by police forces from Maharashtra and Karnataka has resulted in the seizure of illegal drugs with an estimated street value of Rs 1.2 crore. The coordinated raids, which unfolded over two days in Bengaluru, led to the arrest of four individuals allegedly involved in the network.
Joint Operation Nets Key Arrests
The operation was a collaborative effort involving the Mumbai Police, Maharashtra's Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), the Bengaluru City Police, and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). The action was initiated after the arrest of one Abdul Khader in Mumbai on December 21. Khader was found in possession of approximately 1.5 kilograms of mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant.
His interrogation provided crucial leads, leading investigators to Prashanth Patil in Belagavi. Information extracted from Patil subsequently directed the authorities to key operatives within Bengaluru city itself.
Raids Across Bengaluru Locales
Acting on the intelligence, the joint teams conducted simultaneous raids on December 24 and 25 in several areas of Bengaluru, including Kothanur, Bagalur, and Yerappanahalli. During these searches, two more suspects were apprehended: Suresh Yadhav in Yelahanka's Kankanhalli and Malkhan Ramlal Bishnoi in Bagalur's Kannur.
The most substantial haul came from a house in Yerappanahalli, where officials discovered 4.2 kilograms of finished mephedrone. Alongside the drug, authorities seized 17 kilograms of raw material in liquid form, various other chemicals, barrels, mixers, and additional equipment used in the production process. Another mixer was recovered from N G Gollahalli in Kothanur. Raw materials were also found stored in a carpenter's shed in Kannur.
Substance Analysis and Conflicting Valuations
Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh provided details on the seizure, noting that tests confirmed the 4.2 kg substance was mephedrone, though it was found to be an impure mix. He stated, "The NCB has fixed the price of 1 Kilogram of mephedrone at Rs 30 lakh." Based on this valuation, the confiscated drugs are worth around Rs 1.2 crore.
However, there appears to be a discrepancy in the estimated value of the bust. While Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara confirmed the Rs 1.2 crore figure, the Maharashtra ANTF claimed the seized narcotics were worth a staggering Rs 55 crore. The police clarified that no functional laboratory was found at the raided locations, indicating the operations might have been in a preparatory or storage phase.
All four arrested individuals were produced before the Devanahalli court on December 26. The investigation is ongoing as agencies work to unravel the full extent of the manufacturing and distribution network.
