The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested three drug peddlers from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in connection with a large narcotics manufacturing unit busted in January in Khambhat, Anand district.
According to the ATS, a raid conducted on January 23 at Greenlife Industries in Neja village resulted in the seizure of 107 kilograms of alprazolam valued at Rs 107 crore, along with 2,518 kilograms of other chemicals. Subsequently, 500 kilograms of tramadol were recovered from a warehouse in Dholka, Ahmedabad.
Earlier, six persons had been arrested in the case. Further investigation uncovered that one of the accused, Ajay Jain, was illegally sourcing alprazolam from co-accused Vijay Makwana and supplying it to three individuals: Aslam Khan of Jaora (Ratlam, MP), Kaluram Patidar of Jiriyakhedi (Rajgarh, MP), and Sakil Mohammad of Bhawanimandi (Jhalawar, Rajasthan).
The ATS revealed that Aslam Khan paid Rs 15 lakh via angadia for a 5kg consignment, while Kaluram and Sakil paid Rs 30 lakh for an 11kg batch and made an advance payment of Rs 30 lakh for a 107kg shipment.
A rigorous 72-hour operation was launched to track down these suspects, who were apprehended from their respective home districts. The ATS confirmed that all legal procedures have been initiated.
Notably, all three accused have prior criminal records and have been booked under the NDPS Act and the Excise Act. Aslam Khan was convicted in 2011. Kaluram Patidar was booked in 2014, 2016, and 2019, including in a heroin case registered by the NCB Indore.
