Gandhinagar, Oct 21 (IANS): Drugs worth Rs 250 crore were seized from the Avsar Enterprise located in Ankleshwar GIDC area in Gujarat’s Bharuch district, officials said.

The raid conducted jointly by the Surat and Bharuch Police uncovered 141 grams of MD drugs valued at Rs 14.10 lakh, while an additional 427 kilograms of suspected drugs have been sent for testing at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL).

Authorities have arrested Vishal Patel, the director of the Avsar Enterprise, along with two others. However, the company owner is reportedly abroad. This bust is part of a larger crackdown by Gujarat Police, which recently seized drugs worth thousands of crores.

Earlier, in a similar operation, drugs worth Rs 5,000 crore were seized from the Aavkar Drugs Limited in Ankleshwar.

During the Police Martyrs' Remembrance Day event, State Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi praised the efforts of Gujarat Police, stating, "This is not just an operation, but a war against drugs."

He highlighted the success of the Surat Police Crime Branch, which recently seized 2,100 grams of drugs, leading to the extension of the operation into Bharuch district. The minister emphasised the ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking across the state.

In May 2024, the Election Commission (EC) released data showing that Gujarat contributed nearly one-third of the total value of narcotics seized across India.

Between March 1 and May 18, 2024, the EC reported drug seizures worth Rs 3,958.85 crore, which constituted nearly 45 per cent of the total value of all seized items during this period, amounting to Rs 8,889 crore. Gujarat alone accounted for Rs 1,187.8 crore, or about 30 per cent of these drug seizures.

The ECI attributed this surge to enhanced vigilance and robust enforcement actions targeting inducements, including drugs and psychotropic substances. "Continuous monitoring, precise data interpretation, and active participation of enforcement agencies have led to this significant spurt in seizures," the EC said.