Ahmedabad, April 15 (IANS) The Ahmedabad Crime Branch seized 412 grams of mephedrone valued at Rs 12.36 lakh and arrested two men during a raid in the Gheekanta area of Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, officials said on Wednesday.

Officials added that the operation followed specific intelligence inputs received during election-related patrolling.

The raid was carried out on April 13 at a place near the Laxmi Mata temple, opposite Navtad Pol.

Police said their team was on patrol to maintain law and order ahead of the upcoming elections when it received precise information about illegal narcotics activity in the area.

“Based on specific information, a raid was conducted at the specified location, where the accused were found in possession of a commercial quantity of mephedrone without any permit,” officials said.

The accused have been identified as Malaram Devasi (26) and Ashok Kumar Darji (35), both residing in Saraspur, Ahmedabad.

According to police, Devasi is originally from Maru Khera village in Jalore district of Rajasthan, while Darji hails from Tetoda village in Banaskantha district.

Police said the seized narcotic substance weighed 412 grams and was valued at Rs 12,36,000.

In addition, officers recovered three mobile phones worth Rs 20,000, cash amounting to Rs 3,500, and items including an empty zipper bag, a plastic bag, a cloth carry bag, a newspaper and a college bag.

The total value of the seized property has been estimated at Rs 12,59,500.

A case has been registered at the DCB police station under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act against both the accused and the supplier of the contraband.

“Further investigation has been initiated to identify and take action against the person who supplied the mephedrone and to probe the wider network,” police said.

In a similar seizure on April 12, the city Crime Branch arrested two other men in the Behrampura area after they were found in possession of 52.410 grams of mephedrone valued at Rs 1,57,230.

Acting on specific intelligence, officers conducted a raid at an open ground near Santoshnagar Four Buildings and apprehended Hasmukh Sargara (27) and Manish Sargara (26), both residents of Santoshnagar and natives of Barmer district in Rajasthan.

Police said the accused were found carrying the banned substance without a permit.

During the operation, officers seized the narcotic substance along with three mobile phones worth Rs 15,000, cash of Rs 6,000, a scooter, a pocket weighing scale and multiple empty zipper bags.

The total value of seized property in that case was estimated at Rs 1,98,920, and a case has been registered under the NDPS Act with further legal action underway.

–IANS

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