Jaipur, Aug 4 (IANS) In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, Pratapgarh Police have seized mephedrone (MD) drugs worth over Rs 50 lakh and uncovered an illegal drug manufacturing unit hidden deep within the forests of Arnod-Suhagpura in Rajasthan.

Acting on a tip-off, the police arrested three smugglers and recovered a large quantity of chemicals and equipment used in the production of synthetic drugs. This marks the first major operation of the year under Section 30 of the NDPS Act in Pratapgarh district.

Following directions from District Superintendent of Police B. Aditya, a police team led by Station Officer Deepak Kumar was patrolling near the Zero Mile intersection on Monday. There, they spotted three suspicious individuals standing outside the Forest Department quarters.

On seeing the police vehicle, the men tried to flee. One of them, Omkar Singh, was caught immediately. A search led to the recovery of 213 grams of MD and 332 grams of a mixing agent known locally as ‘tanka.’

Upon interrogation, Omkar revealed the names of his two accomplices – Shyamlal Meena and Ramesh Meena – who were later arrested.

During questioning, Ramesh disclosed that he had been working for Jamshed Khan, a resident of Devaldi and a repeat offender with previous NDPS cases.

According to Ramesh, Jamshed had selected a remote forest location to set up an illicit MD manufacturing lab, aiming to avoid detection.

Acting on this information, the police raided the site and recovered jars and containers filled with chemicals such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, hydrochloric acid, and dichloromethane – substances commonly used in making synthetic drugs.

The accused had brought the recovered MD and chemicals to Shyamlal to finalise a sample deal. Had the deal succeeded, a larger consignment would have been manufactured in the forest lab.

The arrested individuals were identified as Omkar Singh (31), a resident of Sadari in Pali; Shyamlal Meena from Khora, Arnod; and Ramesh Meena from Hamakhora, Suhagpura.

A team comprising SO Deepak Banjara, SI Deepak Kumar, and several constables played a key role in the operation. Police are now expanding their investigation to identify other members of the drug network.

–IANS

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