A clandestine manufacturing unit producing MD drugs under the guise of a rose water distillery was sealed in Airi Rampura village within the Dakor area of Orai, Uttar Pradesh, following a joint raid by the Anti-Terrorism Squad and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence. Two men, identified as Hemant Kushwaha and Santosh Gawde, were arrested with synthetic drugs valued at several crores of rupees. The joint team questioned the duo through the night to uncover their supply network and produced them before an Orai court on Friday, where they were remanded to judicial custody.
Mumbai Informant Triggered Raids
Investigators revealed that the operation was unmasked after Gawde traveled to Mumbai to distribute product samples. His movements alerted members of the local drug syndicate, who subsequently leaked information about the unit to the Anti-Terrorism Squad and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence. The agencies acted on the tip-off and launched a raid in the early hours of Thursday, interrogating both suspects to determine the destinations for the narcotics.
Following the court appearance on Friday, authorities ordered the complete sealing of the factory premises. Investigative teams seized two production machines, the recovered consignment of MD drugs, a water tanker, an electric generator, and a motor vehicle found at the location. All seized equipment and chemicals were loaded into three transport trucks and moved to Lucknow for forensic evaluation, leaving the rural premises cleared and secured under official seal.
Financial Backing and Land Lease Uncovered
Further inquiries revealed substantial financial planning behind the illicit enterprise. Investigators found that Kushwaha received twenty lakh rupees to establish the manufacturing plant, along with an agreed monthly retainer of one lakh rupees. The unit was operating from an agricultural field owned by Shailendra Pal, who was paid a monthly rent of twenty-five thousand rupees.
Police are examining reports that Pal subsequently became a financial partner in the trade, though senior officers stated that his exact role remains subject to verification. Officials are tracking the origin of the capital and verifying whether equipment was procured through external financiers. Investigators also continue to map the broader distribution ring that linked the rural setup in Uttar Pradesh to urban consumer centers.
Case Registered and Shifted to Lucknow
Additional Superintendent of Police Dr. Ishan Soni confirmed that formal proceedings are moving to state headquarters. The criminal case will be registered directly in Lucknow, where the accused will remain incarcerated during the ongoing investigation.
The bust has prompted heightened vigilance regarding illegal industrial units concealed on agricultural plots across the district. Central and state teams will focus on identifying other intermediaries who facilitated logistics, acquired controlled substances, or managed financial transactions across state borders.
