NCB, Ahmedabad Police Bust MD Drug Manufacturing Unit in Juhapura; One Held

Ahmedabad: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) busted an alleged clandestine mephedrone (MD) manufacturing unit operating from the basement of a rented house in Juhapura on Sunday. The agency seized around 20 chemicals, machinery and raw materials worth crores of rupees before the first consignment could be dispatched.

The operation, codenamed ‘Operation Synthetic Drug’, was conducted jointly with Sarkhej police at Labbek Park around 7 am. The alleged operator, Mudassar Khan Pathan, was apprehended.

DCP Shivam Verma said a laboratory had been set up in Pathan’s basement, where around 20 chemicals used in manufacturing mephedrone were found. Pathan was allegedly attempting to manufacture the drug but had not yet succeeded.

Investigators said Pathan, a drug addict who allegedly turned peddler, had spent nearly a year learning to manufacture the synthetic drug. He reportedly travelled to Rajasthan for training and also learnt the process through online sources.

The NCB suspects he procured raw materials from Ahmedabad, Ankleshwar and Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh, with some chemicals allegedly purchased through online platforms. Investigators are examining transactions to identify suppliers and establish possible links with interstate drug networks, including those operating in Mandsaur and Ratlam.

The basement had been converted into a laboratory and equipped with CCTV cameras near the building’s entrance. Investigators are analysing footage to identify visitors and assess the scale of the operation. Forensic experts, with assistance from the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), will examine the seized chemicals and equipment.

The NCB also searched Ratlam Cafe, allegedly operated by Pathan, on the road connecting YMCA Club and SP Ring Road via Mumatpura. The nearly three-hour search involved questioning an employee in the presence of witnesses. Investigators suspect the cafe may have been used to identify potential customers.

According to officials, Pathan frequently visited the cafe after 10 pm and stayed until its reported closing time of 3 am. He also has previous cases registered against him at Sarkhej police station, including assault and allegedly setting an autorickshaw on fire.

NCB Zonal Director Ghanshyam Soni said the agency had initiated a financial investigation and would seek to attach properties allegedly acquired using narcotics proceeds under the NDPS Act. The bureau is also probing a possible interstate network linked to the manufacturing operation.

The discovery has raised questions about how the unit operated undetected despite being located barely 3 km from Sarkhej police station and around 4 km from the city police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) office. Both locations are approximately 10–15 minutes away from the premises. DeshGujarat