In a major crackdown on synthetic drug manufacturing ahead of the New Year, the Maharashtra Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) busted three illegal drug manufacturing units in Bengaluru. Sources said synthetic drugs worth crores were seized and four accused have been arrested.
The operation was carried out by the Konkan division of the Maharashtra ANTF following the trail of a recent drug seizure in Mumbai.
Mumbai to Bengaluru
On December 21, the Maharashtra police seized drugs worth ₹1.5 crore in Mumbai and arrested Abdul Khader Shaikh. His interrogation led to the arrest of Prashant Yallappa Patil, a native of Belagavi, Karnataka.
Based on Patil’s disclosure, ANTF teams conducted raids at three locations in Bengaluru, uncovering alleged full-fledged synthetic drug factories operating under the guise of an event management firm named “RJ Event”.
The drug units were located in Horamavu, Yerapannahalli and Kannur. One of the factories was found operating from a shed built inside a farm, strategically located in a remote and isolated area to evade police attention, sources said.
During the raids, the police allegedly seized 4.1 kg of solid MD, 17 kg of liquid MD, totalling 21.4 kg of synthetic drugs. In addition, drug-manufacturing machinery, chemicals, and equipment were also confiscated.
The accused have been identified as Prashant Yallappa Patil (Belagavi), Suraj Ramesh Yadav (Rajasthan), Malkhan Ram Lal Bishnoi (Rajasthan) and one more associate.
Investigators suspect the drugs were being supplied to multiple States across the country, with large-scale production under way specifically for New Year celebrations.
The case has triggered serious questions about Bengaluru Police’s intelligence failure, as such large-scale drug manufacturing units were operating within city limits without detection.
This is the second such incident of drug factory busted. A mephedrone (MD) drug manufacturing factory operating out of a garage was busted in Mysuru in July 2025 through a joint operation by the Mumbai and Mysuru police, leading to four arrests and the seizure of drugs and raw materials valued at approximately ₹390 crore.
₹58 cr. claim false: Minister
Taking strong exception to the lapse on the part of the jurisdictional police, Home Minister G. Parameshwara ordered the City Police Commissioner to conduct a probe and submit a report.
However, Dr. Parameshwara said claims of a ₹58 crore seizure was far from the truth. He clarified that based on inputs from Maharashtra Police, a joint operation involving Mumbai Police, Bengaluru City Police, the NCB and SOCO teams led to the arrest of an accused in Bengaluru, who was found in possession of 4 kg of mephedrone chemical, valued at ₹1.2 crore.
He dismissed allegations that Bengaluru Police had failed to act, stating that joint inter-State operations are routinely conducted based on shared intelligence. Claims about three drug factories being unearthed were also termed false.
The Home Minister warned that strict action would be taken against any officer — whether DCP, ACP or local officials — found responsible for lapses. “Action will not be limited to suspension alone,” he said.
According to sources, the Home Minister made it clear that merely claiming seizures worth “hundreds of crores” would not absolve officers of responsibility.
Bommai blames police
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai alleged that the situation clearly indicates police complicity. “When Maharashtra police have to come and bust a drug manufacturing unit in Mysuru and drug-selling dens in Bengaluru, it shows that police here are colluding with drug traffickers,” he alleged.
He claimed that drugs are freely available across the State, including within school and college limits in Ranebennur and Haveri.
Warning of serious consequences, he said, “Just as there was ‘Udta Punjab’, Karnataka is now heading towards becoming ‘Udta Karnataka’ if the government does not act immediately.”
Published – December 28, 2025 07:36 pm IST
