Bhopal Drug Lab Uncovered: Second Illegal Facility Busted in Under a Year

Authorities have uncovered another illegal drug manufacturing operation in Bhopal, raising concerns about the city’s growing role in synthetic narcotics production. The latest bust, conducted on Monday in Jagdishpur, Islam Nagar, on the outskirts of Bhopal, was executed by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) as part of “Operation Crystal Break.” With assistance from the Surat and Mumbai Police, the DRI seized 61.2 kg of Mephedrone (MD) and 541.53 kg of precursor chemicals, with an estimated value of nearly ₹162 crore. Seven individuals allegedly connected to a foreign drug kingpin were arrested. This follows the earlier discovery of a drug factory in the Bagroda Industrial Area near Katara Hills in Bhopal. That operation, led by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad and the Narcotics Control Bureau in Delhi, exposed a syndicate producing 907 kg of Mephedrone, valued at over ₹1,800 crore. The syndicate operated under the guise of a fertilizer business, running a sophisticated drug manufacturing facility unbeknownst to local authorities. Subsequent crackdowns revealed that similar cartels were active in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Two supply handlers were apprehended in Mumbai, and a hawala operator was arrested, exposing the financial network of the syndicate. More recently, the arrests of a Nigerian national and a Thai woman have been linked to the MDMA network operated by Shahwar Ahmed and Yasin Ahmed. The city is evolving from a transit point to a hub for large-scale drug production.