Rajasthan international drug racket busted, nearly 5 kg of meth worth Rs 25 crore seized, 2 held

JAISALMER: In a major breakthrough against narcotics trafficking, Barmer Police in Rajasthan, with the support of ATS Rajasthan and ATS Gujarat, has busted an international drug smuggling network operating on a “location-based model.” For the first time, nearly 5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine smuggled across the international border adjoining Barmer has been seized, and two accused have been arrested.

The arrested accused were transporting the consignment to Gujarat for further supply. The seized drugs are valued at approximately Rs 5 crore per kilogram in the international market, taking the total estimated value to around Rs 25 crore.

The contraband methamphetamine was buried underground beneath a tree just 150 meters from the border. The local smuggler apprehended with the consignment was in direct contact with a Pakistan-based handler identified as “Masad” and was receiving digital payments through Airtel Payments Bank.

The operation was carried out under the direction of ADG ATS, AGTF, and ANTF, Dinesh MN, with supervision from IG Rajesh Singh and DIGs Yogesh Yadav and Ramamurthy Joshi. The action was led by ATS SP Gyan Chand Yadav and Barmer SP Choonaram Jat, based on intelligence inputs received from ATS Gujarat. Strong coordination between Barmer Police and ATS teams played a crucial role in the success of the operation.

According to ADG Dinesh MN and SP Choonaram Jat, a special team of ATS and AGTF officers was formed to execute the operation. Through technical and ground intelligence, the team identified two individuals—Salman and Shankar Ram—who were transporting narcotics in an Eeco vehicle (registration number GJ38BB4894).

Acting swiftly on the intelligence, teams led by ATS SP Gyan Chand Yadav and Barmer SP Choonaram Jat, along with Inspector Mool Singh Bhati (ATS Jodhpur), Inspector DD Raivar (ATS Gujarat), and SHO Om Prakash of Barmer Sadar Police Station, set up a blockade at Lorti Height on NH-68 near Adarsh Undkha. During the naka checking, the suspicious Eeco vehicle coming from Barmer was stopped and searched. A total of 4.980 kilograms of illegal methamphetamine packed in five bags was recovered from the possession of the accused.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Salman, son of Lalakhan, and Shankar Ram, son of Ramesh Ram Meghwal, both residents of Sajjan Ka Par in Ramsar. During interrogation, Salman revealed that he had received the consignment from a Pakistan-based individual named Masad, a resident of Tharparkar district, in Pakistan at near the international border.

Examination of the accused' mobile phones revealed WhatsApp chats with Pakistani numbers, including video clips related to the receipt of the narcotics consignment.
Police have seized the vehicle used in the smuggling operation along with the mobile phones.

A case has been registered against both accused under various sections of the NDPS Act, and further investigation is underway.
At present, intelligence agencies, under the leadership of SP Choonaram Jat and ATS SP Gyan Chand Yadav, are jointly interrogating the accused. Authorities believe that several more individuals, including influential figures linked to the network, may be exposed as the investigation progresses.