Pramesh S Jain
“Rs.55.88 Crore MD Drug Factory Busted in Bengaluru by Maharashtra ANTF”.
In a major crackdown on synthetic drug manufacturing ahead of the New Year,the Maharashtra Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) has busted three illegal drug manufacturing units in Bengaluru,seizing MD synthetic drugs worth Rs.55.88 crore and arresting four accused.
The operation was carried out by the Konkan Division of the Maharashtra ANTF following the trail of a recent drug seizure in Mumbai.
From Mumbai to Bengaluru:The Drug Trail
On December 21,Maharashtra police seized drugs worth Rs.1.5 crore in Mumbai and arrested Abdul Khader Shaikh.His interrogation led to the arrest of Prashant Yallappa Patil,a native of Belagavi,Karnataka.
Based on Patil’s disclosure,ANTF teams conducted raids at three locations in Bengaluru,uncovering full-fledged synthetic drug factories operating under the guise of an event management firm named“RJ Event.”
Factories in Isolated Areas
The drug units were located in:Horamavu,Yerapannahalli
Kannur (Kothanur police station limits,Gollahalli area)
One of the factories was found operating from a shed built inside a farm,strategically located in a remote and isolated area to evade police attention.
Huge Quantity of MD Drugs Seized:
During the raids,police seized:4.1 kg of solid MD,17 kg of liquid MD,Total:21.4 kg of synthetic drugs In addition, drug-manufacturing machinery,chemicals,and equipment were also confiscated.
Accused Arrested
The arrested include:Prashant Yallappa Patil (Belagavi), Suraj Ramesh Yadav (Rajasthan),Malkhan Ram Lal Bishnoi (Rajasthan),One more associate.
Investigators suspect the drugs were being supplied to multiple states across the country,with large-scale production underway specifically for New Year celebrations.
Questions Over Bengaluru Police Vigil:
The case has triggered serious questions about Bengaluru Police’s intelligence failure,as such large-scale drug manufacturing units were operating within city limits without detection.
The issue is expected to be discussed in a high-level meeting at the Police Commissioner’s Office,chaired by the State Home Minister.
While the Central Crime Branch (CCB) has a Narcotics wing that has largely focused on arresting peddlers and foreign nationals,the discovery of drug factories within Bengaluru has now become a major embarrassment for city police.
Ongoing Probe:
The Maharashtra Police continue to interrogate the accused,while Bengaluru Police have initiated a parallel investigation based on inputs shared by the ANTF.
