An interstate narcotics syndicate running a clandestine mephedrone manufacturing unit from a tin shed in agricultural fields has been uncovered in Uttar Pradesh’s Jalaun district. The joint operation, carried out by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and the Anti-Terrorism Squad, exposed an illegal laboratory in Airi Rampur village that was operating under the guise of a rose-water production business. Enforcement officials recovered 15.44 kilograms of finished mephedrone, valued between 4.5 crore and 5 crore rupees in the international market, alongside 184 kilograms of semi-processed narcotics and 903.44 kilograms of chemicals. The facility, situated under the jurisdiction of the Dakor police station, had allegedly been functioning on land owned by Shailendra Singh Pal for nearly five months without drawing local suspicion.
Rose Water Business Used as Front for Illegal Chemical Setup
To conceal the illicit trade, the operators established an extraction setup that ostensibly processed rose flowers sourced from nearby villages. Small quantities of genuine rose water were produced and distributed to convince local residents that the remote site was an ordinary agro-processing unit. Behind this cover, large consignments of external chemicals and liquid urea were moved into the compound to manufacture synthetic drugs on a commercial scale. The routine arrival of goods and workforce was presented as standard agricultural commerce, keeping neighbours entirely unaware of the multimillion-rupee contraband operation underway in their vicinity.
Surprise Dawn Raid Follows Surveillance Across Two States
The enforcement action was initiated following specific intelligence that individuals linked to the facility had travelled to Mumbai to negotiate deals with potential buyers using drug samples. Acting on an informant’s alert, central intelligence agencies mounted physical surveillance on the Airi Rampur site for three days to monitor vehicular movements and verify activities. In the early hours of Thursday, a five-vehicle convoy carrying DRI teams, ATS personnel, Customs officials, and armed commandos cordoned off the agricultural premises. Investigators seized two drums of raw materials, a water tanker, specialized chemical processing machinery, an unregistered car, and two motorcycles used for transportation.
Interstate Distribution Network Supplied Metropolitan Nightlife
Inquiries revealed that the clandestine laboratory had the capacity to produce up to 20 kilograms of mephedrone every three days, with the finished product sold to designated handlers at roughly 30 lakh rupees per kilogram. Wholesale distributors reportedly visited the rural site in person to collect consignments bound for Delhi-NCR and Mumbai, where the narcotics were allegedly supplied to hotels, nightclubs, and pubs. Two suspects, identified as Maharashtra resident Santosh Gawali and local handler Hemendra Kushwaha, were detained at the scene, while factory operator Shailendra Singh Pal fled during the raid. Records indicate Gawali had previously served prison time for narcotics trafficking. The detained suspects and seized materials have been transferred to Lucknow as investigators work to identify bulk chemical suppliers, financial trails, and metropolitan distribution channels.
