Drug factory busted in MP, 10 kg seized:MD drugs recovered in Ratlam, guns and cartridges found; 16 held

In a major crackdown on narcotics manufacturing, Ratlam police have unearthed an illegal MD (Mephedrone) drug factory operating from a residential house in Chikalana village.
The late-night operation led to the seizure of over 10 kg of synthetic drugs, raw materials, and firearms. Sixteen people have been taken into custody for questioning. Secret midnight raid exposes drug manufacturing unit The raid was conducted around 2:30 am on Friday night in the Kalukheda police station area. Acting on specific intelligence, police teams stormed a house where MD drugs were being manufactured. Senior officers remained on the spot as the operation continued into the early hours, with investigations still underway. Drugs worth crores in domestic and international markets Preliminary assessment suggests the seized MD drugs are valued between Rs 20 crore and Rs 50 crore in the domestic market. On the international market, the consignment could fetch anywhere between Rs 100 crore and Rs 200 crore, indicating the scale of the illegal operation. Arms and ammunition found at the spot Along with the drugs and raw chemicals, police recovered multiple weapons, including 12-bore guns and live cartridges. The presence of firearms has heightened suspicions about the factory’s links to organized crime and the possibility of armed resistance or wider criminal networks. High-level police ream led the operation Ratlam SP Amit Kumar constituted a special team after receiving inputs about the drug factory. The operation was led by ASP Rakesh Khakha, Rural ASP Vivek Kumar Lal, and Jaora SDOP Sandeep Malviya. The raid was kept highly confidential, with only the core team aware of the action plan. SP Amit Kumar, currently in Bhopal, monitored the operation remotely and received real-time updates. Police teams had been conducting surveillance around the location for the past three days. Residential house used as drug factory The illegal factory was operating from the house of Dilawar Khan Pathan, a resident of Chikalana village. His family lives on the same premises. During the raid, no family members were allowed outside, and media entry into the house was restricted. State police crackdown a first in MP Police officials said this is the first instance in Madhya Pradesh where the state police have busted an MD drug manufacturing unit. Earlier, such cases were mostly handled by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) or other central agencies. Probe on, network under scanner Police are now investigating the supply chain, sources of raw material, and possible inter-state or international links of the accused. More arrests are likely as the probe progresses.