MM TAX CLUB

In a major crackdown on organised drug manufacturing, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has successfully dismantled a clandestine mobile mephedrone manufacturing laboratory hidden deep within the Sahyadri ranges. The operation, aptly codenamed “Operation Sahyadri Checkmate,” resulted in the seizure of nearly 22 kg of mephedrone in various forms and the arrest of five individuals, many of them repeat offenders.

A Mobile Lab Designed to Evade Detection

Acting on specific and well-developed intelligence, DRI officers uncovered a highly mobile and camouflaged drug manufacturing setup that was deliberately shifted across locations to avoid law enforcement agencies. The illicit laboratory was cleverly operating under the cover of a poultry farm, located in a remote and difficult-to-access area of the Sahyadri hinterland.

After sustained surveillance, a coordinated operation was launched on 24 January 2026, leading to the discovery of a fully operational makeshift lab equipped with apparatus capable of manufacturing mephedrone, a prohibited substance under the NDPS Act.

Massive Seizure of NDPS Substances

During the raid, DRI officers seized a total of 21.912 kg of mephedrone in different forms:

• 11.848 kg in liquid form

• 9.326 kg in semi-liquid form

• 738 grams in crystalline form

• Additionally, 71.5 kg of raw material—sufficient to manufacture approximately 15 kg of finished NDPS substance—was also recovered. The estimated illicit market value of the seized contraband is around ₹55 crore, highlighting the scale and seriousness of the operation.

• Arrests and Criminal Backgrounds

  Three individuals were apprehended at the lab site, including:

• The person responsible for manufacturing the drug (the “cook”)

• The financer and consignor

• The owner of the poultry farm, at whose residence the first batch of finished contraband was concealed
   

• In a follow-up action, DRI officers conducted late-night surveillance near an old octroi toll naka inside a dense forest area and intercepted two more individuals who were on their way to collect the final consignment.

  Significantly, four out of the five arrested individuals are repeat offenders, with prior arrests under the NDPS Act or prosecution under stringent laws such as MCOCA, 1999.

  A Strong Message Against Drug Networks

  This successful operation once again underlines the pivotal role played by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence in safeguarding national security. By disrupting organised drug trafficking networks, DRI continues to combat threats to public health, law and order, and economic stability.
  “Operation Sahyadri Checkmate” serves as a clear warning that innovative concealment methods and remote locations will not deter enforcement agencies from taking decisive action against narcotics-related crimes.