Bhopal's Growing Threat: Major Drug Manufacturing Operation Discovered

Significant Drug Bust in Bhopal

Bhopal is increasingly becoming a center for the production of synthetic narcotics, as evidenced by the recent discovery of another illegal drug manufacturing facility. This lab, situated in Jagdishpur, Islam Nagar on the city's outskirts, was raided by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) during 'Operation Crystal Break.'

In collaboration with police forces from Surat and Mumbai, the DRI confiscated 61.2 kg of Mephedrone (MD) along with 541.53 kg of precursor chemicals, with a total estimated value of around ₹162 crore. Seven suspects, believed to be affiliated with an international drug lord, were apprehended.

This incident is part of a larger trend; previously, another drug factory was discovered in the Bagroda Industrial Area near Katara Hills in Bhopal. That operation, conducted by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad and the Narcotics Control Bureau in Delhi, revealed a network producing 907 kg of Mephedrone worth over ₹1,800 crore.

The cartel had been masquerading as a fertilizer business, operating a sophisticated drug manufacturing facility while local law enforcement remained oblivious. Subsequent investigations uncovered similar operations in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Two individuals involved in the supply chain were arrested in Mumbai, along with a hawala operator, which unveiled the financial framework of the syndicate.

Recently, the arrests of a Nigerian national and a Thai woman were connected to an MDMA network managed by an uncle-nephew pair, Shahwar Ahmed and Yasin Ahmed. Reports indicate that Bhopal has transitioned from merely being a transit hub for drugs to a significant site for large-scale drug production.