NCB unearths drug labs in Rajasthan and Gujarat; 7 arrested

NCB and Gujarat ATS raided drug manufacturing labs in Rajasthan and Gujarat, seizing 300 kgs of narcotics and arresting seven individuals. After extensive surveillance, three labs in Bhinmal, Osian, and Gandhinagar were uncovered, yielding 149 kgs of mephedrone, 50 kg ephedrine, and 200 liters of acetone. The kingpin is being tracked, and the precursor chemical source and distribution network are being investigated.

The NCB and Gujarat Police ATS Saturday busted three ''clandestine'' drug manufacturing labs in Rajasthan and Gujarat leading to the seizure of 300 kgs of narcotics and arrest of seven persons.

Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Deputy Director General (Operations) Gyaneshwar Singh in a statement said that the labs were unearthed after about three months of ''intensive'' technical and ground surveillance that was mounted by the two agencies to identify the people involved in the network as well as the locations of the labs.

A total of 149 kgs of mephedrone or 'meow meow' (both in powder and liquid form), 50 kg ephedrine, and 200 litres of acetone was recovered from the three labs located in Bhinmal of Jalore district and Osian in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan and Gandhinagar in Gujarat, the officer said.

Seven people have been arrested till now in the crackdown, he said.

The teams of the two agencies were also raiding a similar lab in Amreli district of Gujarat and more recoveries are expected, Singh said. ''The kingpin of this network has been identified and will be arrested soon. Efforts are being made to track and identify the source of precursor chemicals as well as the distribution network, national as well as any international linkages,'' he said.

Mephedrone, also known as 4-methylmethcathinone, 4-MMC and 4-methylephedrone, is a synthetic stimulant and is also identified by its slang names --drone, M-CAT, white magic, meow meow, and bubble.

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