Ahmedabad, May 8 (IANS) The Ahmedabad Crime Branch in Gujarat has arrested a 27-year-old man allegedly linked to a larger narcotics network and seized mephedrone worth more than Rs 14 lakh during a raid in the Danilimda area, police said on Friday.

The accused, identified as Noman Sheikh, was arrested from a rented flat at Al-Falah Apartment near Barrel Market in Danilimda following a tip-off received by the Crime Branch.

During the raid conducted on May 6, officials recovered 468.640 grams of mephedrone, commonly known as MD drugs, along with six mobile phones, a weighing scale and cash.

The total value of the seized items was estimated at Rs 14.63 lakh.

Police said Sheikh was already wanted in a case registered by the State Monitoring Cell involving 289.770 grams of mephedrone under provisions of the NDPS Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

A fresh case has now been registered against him at the DCB police station under Sections 8(C), 22(C) and 29 of the NDPS Act.

According to investigators, forensic officials conducted preliminary testing of the seized substance during the raid, which confirmed it to be mephedrone.

Police said the accused disclosed during questioning that he procured the narcotic substance from a supplier based outside of Gujarat and had been distributing it in Danilimda and nearby localities over the past two months.

Records accessed by investigators show Sheikh has previously been booked in several cases registered at Sarkhej and Vejalpur police stations, including offences related to assault, robbery and theft.

The arrest comes amid a series of recent anti-narcotics operations across Ahmedabad and the entire state.

Last month, the city Crime Branch arrested two men in Gheekanta with 412 grams of mephedrone worth Rs 12.4 lakh, while Ahmedabad Rural SOG separately seized hybrid ganja in the Bopal area.

Earlier in April, Crime Branch officials seized 52.410 grams of mephedrone worth Rs 1.57 lakh from Behrampura and arrested two Rajasthan natives in connection with the case.

In another recent operation, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence seized methamphetamine valued at Rs 6.32 crore from a passenger at Surat Railway Station.

–IANS

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