Major Drug Bust in Rajasthan
The Anti Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), in coordination with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), intercepted a tanker carrying banned chemicals used in the manufacture of MD drugs in Rajasthan's Balotra district. The tanker had traveled approximately 1,500 kilometers from Hyderabad before being stopped in the Ramji Ki Gol area of Balotra. According to officials, the consignment was intended to set up an MD drug manufacturing facility in the Gudamalani region.
Seizure Details
During the operation, authorities recovered 234 kilograms of chemical concealed in six drums hidden inside the tanker. Investigators stated that the seized material could have been used to produce nearly 60 kilograms of MD drugs, with an estimated street value of several crores of rupees. Two individuals were arrested in connection with the case.
Investigation and Tracking
ANTF Inspector General Vikas Kumar revealed that the chemical, commonly known as "Bromo" and scientifically referred to as 2-Bromo-4-Methylpropiophenone, is a key precursor in the manufacture of synthetic drugs like MD. It is banned in India. Acting on intelligence inputs, the ANTF team tracked the consignment from Hyderabad itself. The smugglers had changed the proposed factory location by nearly 15 kilometers after suspecting that authorities had received information about their operation. They had also contacted migrant Rajasthanis in Hyderabad to arrange transportation of the raw material.
The ANTF had received information three days earlier that a large quantity of banned raw material was being transported to Rajasthan in a tanker. The team coordinated with a local transport agency to obtain the tanker number and the driver's contact details. Officials tracked the vehicle's movement with the help of informers. The tanker traveled through Hyderabad, Nanded, Jalgaon, Dhule, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Palanpur, and Sanchore before reaching Ramji Ki Gol in Balotra district.
Arrests and Legal Proceedings
ANTF teams began following the tanker from Sanchore and intercepted it near Mahadev Hotel in Ramji Ki Gol. During the search, officials found 12 packets containing around 234 kilograms of the banned chemical hidden inside six drums. The NCB team was later called to complete the seizure formalities. The arrested individuals were identified as Dinesh, son of Bhagirath and a resident of Rohilla Paschim under Sedwa police station in Barmer district, and Kamlesh, son of Sadaram and a resident of Hirkan Ka Mithra, Khurd Dhorimanna in Barmer district.
Officials stated that a single driver initially transported the consignment from Hyderabad. However, fearing arrest while traveling alone, he contacted the tanker owner and called another associate, Kamlesh, to join him at Jalgaon in Maharashtra.
Market Value and Impact
IG Vikas Kumar said that nearly 60 kilograms of MD drugs could have been produced using the seized chemical. The market value of one kilogram of MD drugs is estimated at more than Rs 30 lakh, indicating that narcotics worth several crores could have been manufactured. He added that due to the growing spread of MD drugs, the ANTF has intensified surveillance on chemical manufacturers and suppliers. Several chemical factories in Rajasthan, including units in Jodhpur, Jaipur, and Udaipur, along with factories in Gujarat and Maharashtra, are currently under the agency's watch.
