DRI busts clandestine Mephedrone manufacturing facility in Ankleshwar, Gujarat; three arrested

📌 Summary:

• The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) dismantled a clandestine Mephedrone manufacturing lab in a residential premises in Ankleshwar, Gujarat, and arrested three persons in an intelligence-led operation
• Recoveries: 1.349 kg Mephedrone (solid), 6.825 kg of the controlled precursor 2-Bromo-4-Methylpropiophenone, 120 litres Monomethylamine, 60 kg Hydrobromic Acid, 40 litres Toluene and mixed acids — all seized under the NDPS Act, 1985
• Rs 21 lakh cash seized (Rs 20 lakh from the accused as suspected drug proceeds; Rs 1 lakh as token payment recovered from the intended receiver)
• Mephedrone ("Meow Meow", "MD", "M-Cat", "Drone") is a highly addictive synthetic psychotropic stimulant notified under the NDPS Act, 1985; manufacture, sale, transport and trafficking are illegal except for authorised scientific/medical use
• The lab setup and large chemical stocks pointed to plans for scaling up production, which the timely raid disrupted

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 Internal Security — organised crime, drug trafficking and synthetic-drug networks; enforcement role of DRI under the NDPS framework

📝 Prelims Facts:

• DRI is the apex anti-smuggling intelligence agency under the CBIC, Ministry of Finance
• Mephedrone is a synthetic cathinone (stimulant) scheduled under the NDPS Act, 1985
• Precursor seized: 2-Bromo-4-Methylpropiophenone

🔑 Key Term: Precursor chemical — a controlled substance used to synthesise illicit drugs, regulated under the NDPS Act