Updated on Oct 24, 12.02 p.m.

Ahmedabad crime branch arrested three accused, including mastermind Jitesh Patel and his partner-in-crime, Sandeep Kumar Kumawat. 

In the preliminary investigation, it was revealed that the accused were preparing ketamine in large quantities in the factory and supplying it to countries like the USA and England under the guise of medicine.

A chemical engineer turned criminal

An official with the crime branch stated, “Jitesh and Sandeep were working together in a chemical factory in 2016-17.” He informed that Patel is a chemistry graduate while Kumavat did his masters in chemistry.  The official added, “This helped him with the formula for making drugs in a pharmaceutical company. Jitesh and Sandeep, took over an already-established factory named ‘Mahalakshmi Chemical Works’ to engage in drug dealing on the pretext of doing drug job work.”

The chemicals they bought to make drugs were purchased illegally, without any exchange of receipt or bill.

In further investigation, Patel disclosed that he also included Waluj-based Gita Chemicals in the partnership.

It all started in Ahmedabad

Patel, a native of Botad district in Gujarat, started his chemical business in Ahmedabad when he used to reside in the Chandkheda area.

Later, he worked in Surat, and his next stop was Aurangabad. Meanwhile, Patel, along with his friend, started the illicit business of drugs by taking over a factory in Aurangabad.

Broad nexus

During their interrogation, the police also got information about their network in Gujarat and other states. Both the accused often visited Ahmedabad, Surat, Rajkot, and Ankleshwar to meet other people under work-related pretexts.

In a joint operation, the Ahmedabad crime branch and the directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) have seized narcotics and raw materials for their production, worth more than ₹500 cr, during multiple raids in different units in a pharma company at Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra.

Ahmedabad crime branch police inspector VB Aal had received a tip-off that a huge pharmaceutical company owner in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar is peddling illicit drug production and selling it to different locations.

The Ahmedabad crime branch then approached DRI, Pune, to execute the operation.

Drugs worth ₹500 cr seized

The teams raided two pharmaceutical companies and accused Gitesh Patel’s office, where they seized ₹200 cr worth of drugs and raw materials worth ₹300 cr.

Officials raided Mahalakshmi Industries, involved in the production of mephedrone and ketamine.

The seized drugs included cocaine, ketamine, and MD drugs (commonly known as ecstasy or MDMA). The police interrogated Patel along with three other individuals. 

Cocaine, mephedrone, and ₹30 lakh in cash were recovered from Patel’s home during the search.

Ahmedabad crime branch deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Chaitanya Mandlik said, “Patel used to manufacture drugs for Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and other states. DRI and Ahmedabad crime branches are conducting a joint interrogation.”

The case will also be registered in Gujarat, and the police will further investigate the whole network of the same.

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