Bhopal Emerges as Narcotics Hub: Second Drug Factory Shut Down

Bhopal is becoming a significant center for the production of synthetic drugs, as highlighted by the recent discovery of another illegal drug lab. The factory, located in Jagdishpur, Islam Nagar, was raided by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Monday, as part of “Operation Crystal Break.” The DRI, with support from Surat and Mumbai Police, confiscated 61.2 kg of Mephedrone (MD) and 541.53 kg of precursor chemicals, worth approximately ₹162 crore. Seven individuals were arrested, suspected of working for an international drug trafficker. Prior to this, another drug manufacturing facility was found in the Bagroda Industrial Area near Katara Hills in Bhopal. That earlier investigation, involving the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad and the Narcotics Control Bureau, uncovered a syndicate that had been producing 907 kg of Mephedrone, valued at more than ₹1,800 crore. The group concealed their activities under the guise of a fertilizer business, using high-tech equipment to produce drugs without local authorities’ knowledge. Further investigations revealed that comparable cartels were operational in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Mumbai saw the arrest of two supply handlers and a hawala operator, which exposed the syndicate’s financial structure. Additional arrests, including a Nigerian national and a Thai woman, have been connected to an MDMA network run by Shahwar Ahmed and Yasin Ahmed. This shift indicates that Bhopal is evolving into a major drug production center.