In a major breakthrough, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of Rajasthan arrested Ramesh Kumar, a key mastermind behind multiple MD (synthetic drug) manufacturing units across India. The arrest, part of “Operation Vishnubahu,” took place in Kolkata’s New Town area, ending the fugitive’s eight-year run.

According to Vikas Kumar, Inspector General of ANTF and ATS, the accused has around three dozen criminal cases registered against him. Ramesh Kumar had established a sprawling drug network across Rajasthan, Gujarat, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, with reports linking him to cases in Manipur and Assam as well. He is believed to be the key conspirator behind MD factories recently busted in Jodhpur, Barmer, and Sirohi districts.

Investigators revealed that the accused learned a fast, cost-effective MD production formula in Maharashtra, which allowed him to produce the drug in just 5–7 days. While the cost of production was around one lakh rupees per kilogram, the market value soared to nearly 30 lakh rupees per kilogram, enabling him to amass crores of rupees and acquire multiple assets.

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Ramesh Kumar’s entry into the MD trade reportedly began during his imprisonment in Maharashtra, where he met a figure known as Dr. Birju. Initially sourcing MD from Maharashtra, he later set up his own manufacturing units with a small group of associates, operating under multiple aliases such as Ramesh, Anil, and Ramlal to evade detection.

To avoid police tracking, the accused frequently moved across states, often using religious pilgrimages as a cover. Intelligence reports revealed he had visited all 12 Jyotirlingas, completed the Char Dham Yatra, and had recently returned from Jagannath Puri before being traced in Kolkata, where he was allegedly planning a new MD unit.

The ANTF and ATS executed a precise operation after tracking his movements via local intelligence and travel networks. The accused is now in custody and undergoing in-depth interrogation, with authorities probing his multi-state network, financial assets, and potential collaborators.

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