Ahmedabad, June 27 (IANS) The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has seized an additional 329.55 grams of mephedrone during the remand of an accused arrested in a courier-based drug trafficking case, taking the total recovery in the investigation to 701.10 grams of the synthetic narcotic with an estimated market value of Rs 70.11 lakh.

The latest seizure followed the interrogation of accused Asuram alias Ashokkumar Bhadu (Bishnoi), 32, a native of Balotra district in Rajasthan, who had earlier been arrested under under Sections 8(c), 22(c) and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

He was initially arrested with 371.55 grams of mephedrone valued at Rs 37.15 lakh, which constitutes a commercial quantity under the Act.

According to the Crime Branch, while in police remand the accused disclosed that he had been living in a rented room at Yamuna Park Society in Adinath Nagar near S.P. Ring Road in Odhav area.

Acting on the information, investigators searched the premises in the presence of two official panch witnesses.

Police said the search led to the recovery of a further 329.55 grams of mephedrone worth around Rs 32.95 lakh, Rs 35,000 in cash and other articles allegedly linked to the operation.

Among the items seized were two digital weighing scales, 239 zip-lock bags, a notebook, aluminium foil, envelopes, silver-coloured box-making cardboard, a passbook, an ATM card, copies of identity documents and other packaging material.

With the latest recovery, investigators said the total seizure in the case now stands at 701.10 grams of mephedrone worth Rs 70.11 lakh.

Including the cash and other materials recovered, the total value of property seized in the investigation has reached Rs 70.46 lakh.

DCP (Crime) Ajit Rajian said the drugs were being sourced from Rajasthan and routed through courier outlets in Bapunagar area for distribution beyond Gujarat as well.

“From the Bapunagar area, through certain courier shops, they were sending drugs not only within Gujarat but also to other cities such as Bengaluru in small quantities via courier. They were exploiting the difficulty in checking every parcel,” Rajian said.

According to officials, the accused operated through telephonic communication and messaging applications to coordinate deliveries and customers, believing that courier-based movement would reduce the risk of interception.

The Crime Branch said further investigation is continuing to establish the source of the narcotics, identify other persons involved in the alleged trafficking network and trace the intended distribution chain.

–IANS

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