Rajasthan's Anti-Narcotics Task Force seizes banned chemical drug, arrests two

Rajasthan Police's Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) has arrested two persons and seized around 234 kilogrammes of banned chemical drug, 2-Bromo-4-Methyl Propiophenone, a key precursor used in manufacturing synthetic drug mephedrone, a powerful and highly addictive synthetic stimulant that mimics the effects of ecstasy and cocaine. ANTF Inspector General Vikas Kumar said on Friday that the consignment was being transported from Hyderabad to the Gudamalani area in Barmer district for manufacturing the synthetic drug. He said the seizure was part of ANTF's larger strategy to target not only narcotic substances but also the precursor chemicals used in their production. The chemical was concealed in six drums containing 12 packets inside a tanker, which was intercepted near Ramji Ka Gol town. ''The seized chemical, also commonly known as 'bromo', is chemically identified as 2-Bromo-4-Methyl Propiophenone and is one of the primary ingredients used in manufacturing mephedrone. Considering its hazardous nature, it is a controlled substance,'' Kumar said. He said experts estimated that around 60 kgs of mephedrone could have been manufactured from the seized consignment, with the market value of the drug running into several crores of rupees. The operation was carried out after ANTF developed intelligence inputs about traffickers sourcing precursor chemicals from Telangana, after intensified surveillance on chemical factories in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. An informer alerted the ANTF three days ago about a tanker loaded with banned raw material, heading to Rajasthan from Hyderabad and also shared the vehicle's registration number and photograph. ANTF coordinated with local transport operators and deployed informers, who tracked the tanker for nearly 1,500 km through Maharashtra and Gujarat before it entered Rajasthan. The tanker was kept under surveillance from Sanchore to Ramji Ka Gol, where it was parked near a hotel, where the accused attempted to flee upon seeing the ANTF team, police said. The ANTF later seized the tanker and recovered the chemical consignment. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) was subsequently called to assist in the seizure and for further investigation. The arrested accused were identified as Dinesh Bishnoi (28), a resident of Barmer district, and Kamlesh Bishnoi (30), a resident of Balotra district.

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