Bhopal, Jan 14 (IANS): The Central Narcotics Department (CBN) on Tuesday busted a clandestine laboratory manufacturing MDMA, a psychotropic drug, in a deserted area in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur district.

The raid was conducted on a tip-off received by the unit of CBN, following which, a search was carried out at an orange orchard near Kharkheda village under Garoth tehsil and found a clandestine laboratory operating there, the CBN said in a statement.

"The agency has recovered 80.96 kg and 7.5 litres of chemicals, including acetone, toluene, hydrochloric acid, sodium sulphate, sodium carbonate, sulphuric acid, bromine water, ethanol," etc.

One person was arrested in connection with the matter, and he has been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

The questioning of the arrested person was underway, the statement said.

Besides, the agency has recovered equipment and machinery such as a UV controller, vacuum oven, weighing scales, test tubes, funnels, and other items from the premises.

It said that the amount of chemicals and apparatus seized during the raid can manufacture more than 50 kg of illicit MDMA powder per month, the statement added.

The agency claimed the laboratory was located in a remote place, and the officials reached the site on foot and found a structure in the orange orchard.

Upon questioning, the accused revealed that other chemicals needed for manufacturing MDMA powder were buried in a nearby field.

The spot was dug up, and the contraband was seized, the statement said.

In October last year, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad and the Narcotics Control Bureau seized 907.09 kg of mephedrone worth Rs 1,814 crore from a factory in Bhopal.

Following that incident, the crime branch of Madhya Pradesh Police arrested a 31-year-old from Mandsaur involved in drug trafficking and seized 48.29 grams of brown sugar valued at nearly Rs 4.8 lakh in the international market.

Later, four more people were arrested from Mandsaur district, following which, a political controversy erupted as the Opposition Congress alleged that the main accused was closely connected with Madhya Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister Jagadish Devda, who also hails from Mandsaur.