Narcotics worth Rs. 10 crore, 500-kg chemicals seized; four arrested

Mysuru/Ahmedabad: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has busted an inter-State drug network and arrested four persons, including the kingpin from Gujarat, seizing narcotics valued at about Rs. 10 crore in the local market.

In the operation, carried out under Union Government’s Nasha Mukt Bharat (Drug-Free India) initiative, the agency seized drugs, cash amounting to Rs. 25.6 lakh, a Toyota Fortuner SUV and over 500 kg of chemicals used in drug manufacturing.

All 4 accused arrested so far hail from Rajasthan’s Jalore district.

Manufacturing unit in Mysuru

During the probe, investigators found that Vishnoi, who had earlier been involved in the peddling of opium and smack, conceived the idea of manufacturing synthetic drugs while lodged in jail in connection with a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

By interacting and networking with other inmates, he familiarised himself with synthetic drug manufacturing processes, market demand, illicit supply chains and the operational logistics required to run clandestine laboratories.

After being released on bail in 2024, Vishnoi put this knowledge into practice by setting up a manufacturing unit named ‘Tuk-Tuk Household Chemicals Production Solution Manufacturing’ in the Hebbal Industrial Area of Mysuru. The unit was established with the assistance of Ganpath Lal, a resident of Alanahalli in Mysuru, who is Vishnoi’s close relative and a co-accused in the case. NCB searches revealed that the facility was being operated under the guise of manufacturing household and industrial cleaning chemicals, a cover used to evade detection.

The agency also found that Vishnoi is a habitual offender, with three cases registered against him in Rajasthan and one in Gujarat.

Further investigation is underway to identify other members of the drug cartel and to trace the supply chain of the laboratory equipment and chemicals used in the manufacturing process.

Karnataka-registered vehicle intercepted

The NCB said, it developed intelligence about an inter-State drug racket and, acting on the inputs, intercepted a Toyota Fortuner SUV bearing a Karnataka registration number (KA-20-P-6767) at Palsana, Surat district, Gujarat, on Jan. 28. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of around 35 kg of mephedrone. Following the interception, NCB teams conducted a search at the residence of Mahindra Kumar Vishnoi, identified as the mastermind of the network, at Dastan Residency in Palsana. The search resulted in the seizure of 1.8 kg of opium, Rs. 25.6 lakh in cash, and various chemicals.

“This operation was conducted with the assistance of the Surat Police. Three persons, including the mastermind Mahindra Kumar Vishnoi, who were transporting the drugs for further distribution in Rajasthan, have been arrested,” the NCB said in a statement.