Designer drug case: Ahmedabad NCB secures 15-year jail for Rajasthan smuggler

Ahmedabad, May 2 (IANS) A Special NDPS Court in Ahmedabad sentenced a man from Rajasthan to 15 years’ rigorous imprisonment in a case involving interstate smuggling of 185 gms of 4-Methylethcathinone (4-MEC), a psychotropic substance also known as a “designer drug”, an NCB official said on Saturday.

The City Civil and Sessions Court, Ahmedabad, held Dashrath Singh, a resident of Pratapgarh, Rajasthan, guilty under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 and slapped a penalty of Rs 2 lakh, an NCB statement said.

Acting on specific and credible intelligence, officers of the NCB, Ahmedabad Zonal Unit, arrested Dashrath Singh on January 30, 2023, while he was driving a bus from Mandsaur to Ahmedabad, at Bordi Mill Compound Parking, Hirabhai Market, Kankaria Road, Ahmedabad, the NCB said.

Search proceedings led to the seizure of 185 grams of 4-Methylethcathinone (4-MEC) from the conscious and exclusive possession of the accused, who was formally arrested the same day, the NCB said.

Upon completion of the investigation, the NCB filed a chargesheet in the City Civil and Sessions Court, Ahmedabad, on July 25, 2023, for offences punishable under Sections 8(c), 22(c) and 29 of the NDPS Act, 1985.

The NCB said that 4-Methylethcathinone (4-MEC) is a synthetic stimulant belonging to the class of new psychoactive substances (cathinone derivatives), commonly referred to as “designer drugs”.

It is usually found in powder or crystalline form and is abused for its stimulant and euphoric effects similar to amphetamines. However, its consumption can lead to serious adverse effects, including anxiety, agitation, increased heart rate, hypertension, and risk of addiction, according to the NCB.

Owing to its high abuse potential and harmful impact on health, 4-MEC is considered a dangerous psychotropic substance, it said.

The NCB statement said the meticulous investigation and diligent prosecution by the NCB Ahmedabad Zonal Unit ensured that justice is delivered, protecting communities from the devastating consequences of narcotic drug abuse.

–IANS

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