- विज्ञापन -
Vadodara: The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Vadodara Police has successfully intercepted a shipment of mephedrone (MD) valued at Rs 6.62 lakh, preventing its delivery. This operation, initiated based on a tip-off, resulted in the arrest of one suspect, Ashok Mahipal, while two accomplices remain at large.
Following actionable intelligence, the SOG discovered that Ashok Mahipal had transported the MD from Rajasthan early in the morning and was planning to deliver it near the old toll plaza in Kapurai. Equipped with specific details about his appearance, the police executed a raid at the location and arrested Mahipal, who hails from Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, and currently resides in Mahanagar, Woodana Makan, Dabhoi. Along with the drugs, authorities seized mobile phones and cash, totaling the recovered assets to Rs 6.73 lakh.
Two associates, Nilofar Munnabhai Salmani from Tandalja, Vadodara, and Kalu from Pratapgarh, Rajasthan, are now wanted by the police. Notably, Nilofar has a prior case under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act, which has heightened the level of scrutiny in this investigation.
Authorities are intensifying their efforts to disrupt local drug trafficking networks. From 2021 to June 2024, law enforcement agencies confiscated over 87,605 kg of narcotics valued at around Rs 9,679 crore and arrested 2,607 individuals linked to these offenses. In 2024 alone, drugs worth Rs 6,450 crore were seized, reflecting ongoing issues with drug smuggling in the state. A substantial portion of these narcotics was intercepted before reaching their destinations, often outside Gujarat. For instance, a collaborative operation by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Gujarat Police, and the Indian Navy resulted in the seizure of nearly 700 kg of methamphetamine off the Gujarat coast, along with the arrest of eight foreign nationals.
