Maharashtra ANTF busts three drug factories in Bengaluru raising questions about robust city police surveillance

Bengaluru: The exposure of three illegal synthetic drug manufacturing units operating within Bengaluru by the Maharashtra Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) has raised serious questions about how such high-value operations escaped the notice of local police patrolling.

Despite functioning for months in residential layouts under the limits of Bagalur, Kothanur and Avalahalli police station limits, the factories were traced not by Bengaluru police but by Maharashtra investigators pursuing a separate drug seizure case in Mumbai.

The racket came to light only after sustained interrogation of accused arrested outside Karnataka, eventually leading the ANTF to Bengaluru.

The Maharashtra police seized drugs worth Rs 55 crore, along with machinery and chemicals, from two manufacturing units and one storage facility - some of which were operating under the guise of event management and warehouse businesses. Investigators suspect the drugs were being supplied to multiple states.

The fact that such large-scale drug production units functioned in the city without detection has highlighted gaps in local intelligence gathering, routine surveillance of suspicious commercial establishments, and inter-state coordination.

Bengaluru police officials, however, said they would examine whether the accused had registered the units using forged documents or benami arrangements, making detection difficult. A senior officer said a joint probe would now be initiated to trace local facilitators and identify any lapses.

The case has once again underscored the growing challenge of synthetic drug networks using Bengaluru as a production base, while enforcement breakthroughs are increasingly coming from outside the state.

Factory 1: Located at Spandana Layout Colony in Bagaluru.

Factory 2: Located at N G Gollahalli in Kothanur.

Factory 3: Located at Yarappanahalli in Avalahalli.