Bhopal Drug Haul: MD Drug And Raw Materials Valued At ₹1,814 Crore Were Seized From A Factory | FPJ
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Wednesday filed a charge sheet in the Bhopal MD factory case, charging racket kingpin Shoaib Lala, his right-hand man Harish Anjana, and five others with running a drug manufacturing unit in Bhopal and engaging in drug peddling.
Those who have been charge-sheeted include kingpin Shoaib Lala, Harish Anjana, Amit Chaturvedi,Sannyal Bane, Premsukh Patidar, Om Ji Patidar, and Ghanshyam Meena. Of these, Lala, Meena, and Om Ji Patidar remain at large.
Arrested accused handed over to ATS
Among those arrested, Amit Chaturvedi, Sannyal Bane, and Harish Anjana were initially taken into custody by the NCB before being handed over to the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). Premsukh Patidar was later apprehended from Udpura-Hatunia in Mandsaur.
In a joint operation, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Delhi, seized MD drugs and raw materials valued at Rs 1,841 crore from a factory in Bhopal. The unit had the capacity to manufacture 25 kg of MD drugs per day.
The idea of establishing the drug factory took shape after one ‘Chachu’ met Sannyal Bane in Arthur Road Jail, Mumbai. He coordinated with Bane, an expert in drug preparation, and Shoaib Lala, a man with resources and experience in drug peddling. Their collaboration led to the establishment of the MD drug manufacturing factory in Bagroda Industrial Area near Bhopal.
Special Public Prosecutor Sunil Saxena, speaking to Free Press, said that the first trial run of the drug was conducted in Pithampur before the factory was established in Bhopal. Lala, a resident of Pratapgarh, Rajasthan, who is currently on the run, played a key role in funding the setup of the factory in Bagroda. Lala, an expert in drug distribution, also had knowledge of manufacturing drugs. The factory was rented for Rs 50,000 per month, and two labourers were employed at a daily wage of Rs 500.
Middlemen earned a commission of Rs 50,000 per kg
The drugs were prepared, packed in one-kilogram packages, and stored in 20 kg plastic containers. The drug was sold at Rs 7-8 lakh per kilogram. It was transported to Mandsaur by trucks and then distributed to various other parts of the country. The final destination of the consignment was known only to Lala and Anjana. Middlemen earned a commission of Rs 50,000 per kilogram.
Amit Chaturvedi, who was factory manager, had experience in the pharmacy business and assisted in procuring raw materials for drug manufacturing. The gang had taken up a flat on rent in Katara Hills for Rs 15,000 per month for lodging purposes.
Search for three accused continues
Shoaib Lala, Om Ji Patidar, and Ghanshyam Meena, all residents of Mandsaur, are still on the run. The agency is continuing its probe, and once the trio is arrested, a supplementary charge sheet will be filed.
Communicated via WhatsApp calls
Lala always used new phone numbers to make calls. The accused communicated via WhatsApp calls to avoid leaving any evidence and getting traced. Police have seized three mobile phones used by Sannyal for his illegal activities. However, they were only able to recover one of the three phones used by Amit. Similarly, one of the two mobile phones used by Harish Anjana and two mobile phones belonging to Premsukh are yet to be traced. Lala had three mobile phones, and Om Ji Patidar two.
