Gujarat Police's SMC seizes mephedrone worth ₹20 lakh in Dahod, two held

The State Monitoring Cell (SMC) of Gujarat Police has arrested two men from Madhya Pradesh and seized mephedrone worth over ₹20 lakh in a raid near Dahod bus station late on Wednesday night. Police said a key supplier from Rajasthan is on the run.

The raid was carried out on the night of September 10–11 near K K Surgical Hospital on Station Road, Dahod. Acting on specific intelligence, an SMC team led by Police Inspector B H Rathod and PSI H P Solanki intercepted a vehicle suspected of ferrying narcotics.

During the search, officers recovered 204.960 grams of mephedrone, valued at ₹20.49 lakh in the illegal market, along with three mobile phones worth ₹15,000, cash of ₹9,800 and a vehicle estimated at ₹5 lakh. The total seizure has been pegged at ₹25.74 lakh.

Two accused, identified as Makbul Matlub Qureshi (28), a resident of Harijan Basti, Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh), and Anasali Anvarali Saiyad of Kanipura, Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh), were arrested on the spot. Both have been booked under sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Police added that the suspected supplier, identified as Lala Pathan of Pratapgarh, Rajasthan, managed to evade the raid and has been declared a wanted person.

The arrested duo have been remanded to police custody for further investigation into procurement channels and possible links with larger drug syndicates.