AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has busted a major interstate narcotics racket in Rajasthan’s Bhiwadi, seizing 22 kg of illegal substances and arresting three key accused, marking the second big drug crackdown in a single month.

The trail of the investigation led straight into a pharmaceutical factory hiding a narcotics assembly line in the neighbouring state. What looked like a routine industrial unit in Bhiwadi’s Rocco Eyal area was, in reality, a covert hub manufacturing banned psychotropic drugs for the black market.

The operation began quietly, with a tip-off that the company APL Pharma was illegally producing drugs like Azazolam and feeding the supply chain through a key distributor, Sunny Yadav. “The information appeared sensitive and explosive,” an ATS officer said, “so we cross-verified every detail using technical surveillance and human intelligence before moving in.”

Under the supervision of senior ATS officials and the leadership of the Deputy Superintendent of Police, a dedicated team meticulously mapped the network. Names emerged, links connected, and patterns repeated, pointing to a well-oiled racket rather than a one-off crime.

On December 28, the ATS, along with a special unit of the Rajasthan Police, stormed the APL Pharma premises. Inside, officers found a fully functional illegal manufacturing unit. The seizure was massive and alarming -- 22 kilograms of psychotropic substances, including 5 kg of Alprazolam, 17 kg of a combination of Prozepam and Temazepam known for high abuse potential.