Ahmedabad, Oct 9 (PTI) Three persons were arrested after a factory manufacturing mephedrone (MD) drug was busted in Gujarat's Valsad district and psychotropic substances worth Rs 25 crore were seized, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) said on Wednesday.
Acting on specific information, teams of DRI from Surat and Vapi conducted a search operation at various locations in GIDC (industrial estates) in Umargam and Dehri in Valsad district, the central agency said in a press release.
The operation was conducted under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 on Tuesday and M/s Saurav Creations, a factory located in GIDC area, was found involved in the illegal manufacture of mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant drug, said the release.
A team from Valsad's forensic science lab confirmed the presence of mephedrone in the suspected psychotropic substances found in the factory. A total 17.3 kg MD in liquid form was recovered from the unit, the DRI said.
A team from the Narcotics Cell of Gujarat CID assisted in the operation,.
"The illegal market value of the psychotropic substances seized from the unit is around Rs 25 crore. All the seized substances were confiscated under relevant provisions of the NDPS Act," it said.
Three persons were arrested under relevant sections of the NDPS Act, and further investigation was underway, according to the release.
"This operation highlights the increasing use of synthetic drugs and misuse of industrial units in the manufacture of these drugs and continuous efforts of the DRI to bust them," it said.