NCB busts major inter-state drug syndicate, seizes MD worth ₹10 crore

In a major blow to inter-state drug trafficking networks, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) team of Gujarat has dismantled a large synthetic drug syndicate and busted a clandestine drug manufacturing laboratory in Mysuru, Karnataka, seizing narcotics valued around ₹10 crore in the illicit market, the agency said on Friday.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, NCB teams intercepted a Toyota Fortuner SUV with a Karnataka registration at Palsana in Surat district, Gujarat, on January 28. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of approximately 35 kg of mephedrone (MD), a synthetic stimulant increasingly abused across states.

Subsequent searches at a residence in Dastan Residency, Palsana, belonging to the alleged mastermind Mahindra Kumar Vishnoi, resulted in the seizure of 1.8 kg of opium, ₹25.6 lakh in cash, and a large quantity of chemicals. The operation was carried out with the assistance of the Surat Police.

Three persons, including Vishnoi, were arrested in Gujarat while allegedly transporting the consignment for further distribution in Rajasthan. Investigators later identified and raided a clandestine drug manufacturing unit operating from the Hebbal Industrial Area in Mysuru. The facility, run under the guise of producing cleaning chemicals, was found to be a fully equipped illegal laboratory with sophisticated instruments used for manufacturing synthetic drugs.

According to the NCB, the Mysuru unit had been taken on rent by a co-accused and relative of Vishnoi, who has also been arrested, taking the total number of arrests to four. All the accused belong to Jalore district in Rajasthan.

Investigations revealed that Vishnoi is a habitual offender, with three cases registered against him in Rajasthan and one in Gujarat. Officials said he conceived the idea of manufacturing synthetic drugs while lodged in jail in connection with an earlier NDPS case, where he familiarised himself with production processes, market demand and supply chains through interactions with other inmates. After securing bail, he allegedly set up the clandestine lab in 2024 and successfully manufactured and distributed multiple consignments since then.

Apart from the drugs, the NCB has seized the Toyota Fortuner used for transportation, cash of ₹25.6 lakh, and over 500 kg of various chemicals. The premises housing the illegal lab have been sealed and are being examined by forensic experts.

The NCB said further investigations are underway to identify other members of the cartel and trace the supply chain of laboratory equipment and precursor chemicals.