Bengaluru, Dec 28 (PTI) A day after the Maharashtra Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) claimed to have busted mephedrone manufacturing units here, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Sunday said the operation was a "collective effort" involving the state police and NCB teams.
He also disputed the value and scale of seizure, saying chemicals seized were allegedly used for drug preparation and totally worth around Rs 1.20 crore.
The Maharashtra Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) busted three mephedrone manufacturing units in Bengaluru, leading to the arrest of four people and seizure of contraband worth Rs 55.88 crore, police in Maharashtra had said on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters here, the minister said the Maharashtra police had informed their Karnataka counterparts before the raids and sought assistance.
"Based on the information they got from a person arrested in Mumbai they (Maharashtra Police) along with our police raided the place and seized a lot of chemicals which are supposed to have been used for preparation of drugs."
"This was a collective effort, of course Maharashtra police have claimed it as their catch, but normally police in India, from every state, share the information and conduct raids, nab culprits. It is a collective effort to see that we fight drugs in India. This is how it has happened," he said.
Clarifying the value of the chemicals seized, he said, "It's about 3.5 kgs of chemicals, which costs approximately Rs 30 lakhs per kg. Totally it is approximately Rs 1.20 crore. It's not Rs 55.88 crore, it's a smaller amount. They have claimed it as Rs 55.88 crore, that is why I'm just issuing clarification."
Parameshwara also refuted media reports that three manufacturing units were busted, saying only one location was raided.
According to him, a state police team headed by a DCP was involved in the operation along with a Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) team and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) team. Projecting this as only Maharashtra ANTF operation is not correct.
Noting that the state police have been intensifying anti-drug operations since November following inputs that peddlers may stock drugs in the wake of New Year, he said authorities have so far seized drugs worth Rs 165 crore.
Parameshwara warned of action against officers failing to curb drug related activities in their area.
Meanwhile, the opposition BJP has demanded CM Siddaramaiah and Minister Parameshwara's resignation, taking moral responsibility.
Speaking to reporters here, BJP MLA C N Ashwath Narayan said, "Maharashtra police gets to know about the drug activities and manufacturing here, but the jurisdictional police doesn't. How is the Home department functioning? How safe are we?"
Alleging that the Congress government's "failures" stand exposed, he said the CM and particularly Minister G Parameshwara should resign immediately if they have any concern or self respect.
He also demanded action against concerned police officers.
The BJP leader also alleged that "rate card" has been fixed as part of corruption, for transfers in the police department.