ATS seizes Rs 51.4 crore drugs, raw materials from Surat unit; 3 held

Ahmedabad, July 18

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has busted a mephedrone manufacturing unit on the outskirts of Surat city and seized drugs and raw materials of Rs 51.4 crore, an official said on Thursday.

Three persons—Sunil Yadav, Vijay Gajera and Haresh Korat—have been arrested in this connection, an ATS release said.

It was found that the three persons had hired an industrial shed at Kareli village in Palsana taluka of Surat district on a monthly rent of Rs 20,000 to manufacture mephedrone, also known as MD drugs, using various materials, it said.

The ATS officials recently received a tip off that Yadav, Gajera and Korat were involved in manufacturing mephedrone at the shed in Kareli and selling it to Mumbai resident Salim Saiyad, the release said.

Based on the information, a team of ATS raided the shed in Darshan Industrial Area of Kareli on Wednesday night and apprehended Yadav and Gajera from the spot while Korat was nabbed from a place in Junagadh in the early hours, it said.

The ATS recovered 4 kilograms of mephedrone and 31.4 kg of raw materials valued at Rs 51.4 crore from the unit, which was sealed after the raid, the release said.

A preliminary probe indicated Yadav was into chemical trading business and learnt the technique of manufacturing mephedrone from the Internet.

The three persons came together and started manufacturing the drug at the shed and had already delivered 4 kg of mephedrone to Saiyad some time back, the release said, adding further probe was on into the case.