SOG seizes drugs worth ₹23 lakh from 21-year-old in Ahmedabad

The Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Ahmedabad Crime Branch on Thursday evening arrested a 21-year-old man from Madhya Pradesh after allegedly recovering 234.97 grams of mephedrone (MD) worth ₹23.49 lakh from his possession near Vishala crossroads. The total seizure, including cash, a mobile phone and other items, is valued at ₹23.55 lakh, according to police.

The accused, identified as Shahid Ali, son of Shakur Ali Syed, a resident of Chuna Bhatta in Daloda, Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh, was intercepted at around 6.50 pm near Varakhwala Heritage Hotel following a tip-off received earlier in the day.

The SOG unit had received credible information at noon that a man wearing a red, white and black striped jacket and black jeans had brought MD drugs from Madhya Pradesh for sale in Ahmedabad. Acting on this input, the SOG proceeded to conduct surveillance near the identified location.

Around 2 pm, the team began a foot watch near Vishala Crossroads. At approximately 2.04 pm, officers spotted a man matching the description walking towards the Dana Panee Hotel. After surrounding him.

During the search, officers recovered a mobile phone, ₹300 in cash, a railway ticket from Jaora to Asarwa dated 10 December, and a black plastic bag containing two ziplock packets. One packet contained a white, powdery substance while the other contained a brownish powder.

The substances were tested on the spot by a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) officer, who confirmed that both samples prima facie appeared to be mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant classified as a prohibited narcotic under the NDPS Act. The seized material was subsequently weighed on a digital scale arranged by the police. One packet contained 118.4 grams of MD, and the second contained 116.57 grams, bringing the total to 234.97 grams, police said.

Shahid Ali allegedly told the police that he had received the consignment from a man named Bittu, stated to be from Kotdi, Rajasthan, and was instructed to deliver it in Ahmedabad. Police said efforts are underway to verify this claim and identify the intended recipient.

The accused was arrested, and a case has been registered under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and further investigation is in progress to trace the supply chain.