‘Unusual ventilation and…’: What led to MP factory ₹1,800 crore drug haul
In a major development in the Madhya Pradesh factory drug bust case, the police said that the factory premises were registered as a soap manufacturing unit and were found due to its unusual ventilation system.
The case pertains to the seizure of narcotics worth ₹1,800 crore from a Bhopal factory by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
The police also found that the raided factory, located in Bagroda Industrial Enclave approximately 10 km from Bhopal, was rented out to a third party.
How MP factory’s ventilation system led to drug bust
According to an NDTV report, police said that the factory’s ventilation system drew investigators’ attention during the ongoing operation because the ventilation system was connected to the ground level, which is a method unusual in typical industrial operations. In a common setup, ventilation is usually placed on the roof.
The police also found that cryptocurrency was being used for transactions and there were plans to send drug consignments to the UK and Dubai.
The accused had allegedly sourced raw materials for drug production from Vapi, Gujarat, located nearly 700 kilometers from Bhopal.
One of the accused, Harish Anjana confessed to supplying the chemicals used for manufacturing MD (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) drugs through the Gujarat-Maharashtra route during interrogation, NDTV reported.
MP factory was allotted for soap manufacturing unit: Cops
According to Bhopal Police Commissioner Harinarayanchari Mishra, the land was initially allotted for a soap manufacturing unit, but it was later given on rent to a third party. The premises where the drugs were found were rented six months ago and became the prime point of investigation.
The arrests of Sanyal Prakash Bane and Amit Chaturvedi preceded the recent arrest of a third suspect, Harish Anjana, from Mandsaur district, approximately 350 km from Bhopal. He was handed over to Gujarat ATS for further interrogation. The factory owners have been booked for the crime.