SMC Raid Unearths Massive Illegal Gas Refilling Racket in Rajkot; 200 Cylinders Seized Near Ahir Chowk

RAJKOT — In a major crackdown on illegal fuel hoarders, the Gujarat State Monitoring Cell (SMC) raided a residential property near Ahir Chowk in Rajkot, busting a massive gas cylinder hoarding and illegal refilling operation. Operating right under the noses of the local police and supply department, the stealth operation led to the recovery of over 200 filled and empty gas cylinders, alongside heavy weighing scales and electric transfer motors.

Residential Premises Transformed into Illegal Fuel Depot

Acting on specific intelligence regarding large-scale illegal refilling and hoarding activities, SMC officers swooped in on a residential house located in the Ahir Chowk area under the Bhaktinagar police station limits. The unexpected raid caught the operators completely off guard, exposing a dangerous setup operating inside a densely populated neighborhood.

Along with the massive stockpile of gas cylinders, team members seized weighing machines and electric motors used to illegally siphon gas between cylinders. Four suspects were apprehended from the spot during the operation.

Local Police and Supply Department Caught Off Guard

The operation has raised serious questions about local vigilance, as the SMC initiated and executed the high-stakes bust entirely on its own, leaving both the local Bhaktinagar police and the civil supplies department unaware until the raid was underway.

Following the seizure, the SMC transferred all 200 recovered gas cylinders and confiscated equipment to the Bhaktinagar police station premises, where they are currently being stored as evidence. Further investigation is underway to trace the supply chain and determine how such a vast quantity of cylinders was procured and stored illegally.