Surat's real-life 'Breaking Bad': Gujarat Police bust drug lab in swanky residential complex

In a scene reminiscent of the popular Netflix series "Breaking Bad", a sophisticated drug manufacturing and distribution ring has been dismantled in Surat following a police raid on a residential apartment, leading to the seizure of narcotics and precursor chemicals and the arrest of six individuals.

Acting on confidential intelligence, a team from the State Monitoring Cell (SMC) raided a flat in the Mansarovar Residency complex in Kathor village on Tuesday. The operation, led by Police Inspector CH Panara, was initiated after the SMC received information about a man in possession of MD, also known as Mephedrone, and his accomplice, a qualified chemist allegedly capable of synthesising the banned substance, The Indian Express reported.

During the raid, officials discovered and confiscated 12.53 grams of Mephedrone with an estimated street value of Rs 1.253 lakh. More significantly, the raid uncovered a cache of precursor chemicals essential for the illegal manufacture of synthetic drugs. As reported by The Indian Express, these chemicals included Cathinone (analogue), 4-Methylcathinone, Buphedrone and Methylcathinone or N-Dimethylcathinone. The combined value of the drug and chemical seizure was placed at Rs 1.638 lakh.

The SMC subsequently registered a case under the Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) at its Gandhinagar police station on Wednesday. Six individuals were apprehended, while a seventh remains at large.

The primary accused have been identified as Munaf Qureshi, also known as Munna Dadu Qureshi and Ketan Patel, alias Ketan Zaver Rafaliya, the chemist alleged to have been responsible for the drug's production. According to a statement from the SMC, findings from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and the subsequent interrogation of the accused revealed that the group procured the raw chemicals and manufactured the MD themselves.

As detailed in The Indian Express report, the four other arrested individuals are Naran Bhagwan Rathod, Shahbaz Mehboob Saiyyed, Mehul Deva Chohla and Sahil Hanif Belim. Rathod and Saiyyed are alleged co-accused in the manufacturing racket, while Chohla and Belim are accused of distributing the narcotics. The seventh accused, named Atik, is currently evading capture and a search is underway to apprehend him.