Jaipur/Bhilwara: The Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) Wednesday busted an illegal drug manufacturing unit in Chittorgarh, arrested an accused, and seized around 6kg of mephedrone. The district police also suspended two personnel posted in the area, officials said.The CBN identified the arrested accused as Sonu Singh alias Akbar, a resident of Mandsaur district in Madhya Pradesh. Officials also said assistant sub-inspector Himmat Singh and constable Ranjeet Puri, both posted at Kila Chowki, were suspended for negligence.According to central agencies, the action was taken after receiving specific intelligence about an illegal drug manufacturing operation being run from an isolated house. Officials said preliminary investigation revealed that mephedrone was being illegally manufactured at the premises using high-end laboratory equipment. The accused was allegedly operating the clandestine lab along with one associate, who is absconding.The seized material included 107gm of mephedrone powder, around 4kg of the drug in crude form, about 2kg of alprazolam powder, nearly 200kg of chemicals used to produce synthesis mephedrone. Special laboratory equipment used for illegal drug production was also seized, the agency said.The accused has been arrested under relevant provisions of the NDPS Act. Officials said further investigation is underway to trace the sources of raw materials, financial transactions and the trafficking network linked to the operation.Following the raid, district SP Manish Tripathi suspended two personnel after finding that they were posted in the same area where the illegal factory was operating but had failed to share intelligence or alert senior officers, officials said.An official said the action was taken to set a precedent and warn beat officers of consequences if they fail to report illegal activities in their areas, especially in border regions vulnerable to drug trafficking.
