SOG seizes over ₹8 lakh worth of MD drugs, arrests two

The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Crime branch has arrested two men and seized 87.78 grams of suspected mephedrone, commonly known as MD drugs, valued at nearly ₹8.78 lakh, during a late-night raid near Nana Chiloda in the city.

According to the police, the accused were identified as Dilipkumar Talapa, 28, a resident of Naroda, and Lekhrajsinh Chauhan, 34, a resident of Nana Chiloda. The duo was allegedly caught in possession of the narcotic substance near Chamunda Motor Garage on the Nana Chiloda-Naroda Road at around 11.10 pm on May 8.

Police said the raid was carried out following a tip-off received by the SOG team that the accused were engaged in the illegal sale of MD drugs and were expected to arrive in a white Swift Dzire car.

SOG officers, acting on intelligence inputs, intercepted the vehicle near Sanjaynagar and detained both men. During the search, officers allegedly recovered two transparent zip-lock packets containing brown powder and lump-like substances suspected to be mephedrone or methamphetamine.

The police said forensic testing conducted at the SOG office by an FSL officer initially confirmed the substance appeared to be mephedrone or methamphetamine, though samples have been sent to the Directorate of Forensic Science in Gandhinagar for detailed analysis.

According to investigators, the net quantity of narcotics recovered from Talapa was 73.5 grams, while 14.28 grams were recovered from Chauhan, taking the total seizure to 87.78 grams. The estimated street value of the seized drugs was pegged at ₹8.77 lakh

Apart from the narcotics, the police also seized three mobile phones, a digital weighing scale, an Aadhaar card and the Swift Dzire car used by the accused. The total value of the seized property was estimated at ₹11.92 lakh.

During interrogation, the accused allegedly told police that the contraband had been sourced from a man identified as “Baddha Naresh” from Beawar in Rajasthan through another accused, Ruparam Gopalram Kharedia of Nagore district, Rajasthan.

The police have launched a search for the absconding suppliers and are probing the wider drug supply network linked to the accused.

A case has been registered under Sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and further investigation is underway.