Narcotics, coercion and abuse: Now 'Drug Jihad' surfaces in Bhopal

Bhopal, July 23 (IANS) In a sweeping crackdown that has rattled Bhopal’s underbelly, the Crime Branch has unearthed a sprawling drug and exploitation network operating across the city’s social hotspots.

The arrests of Yasin Malik and his uncle Shahwar—both caught with MDMA and an unlicensed pistol after a high-speed chase—have exposed a disturbing nexus of narcotics, coercion, and abuse.

Investigators recovered 22 grams of MDMA, two vehicles, and a country-made firearm from the duo.

But it was the contents of Yasin’s mobile phone that deepened the gravity of the case -- over twenty videos allegedly depicting drugged young women being sexually exploited and boys subjected to violent beatings.

Police officials, while confirming the authenticity of the footage, noted that none of the victims have yet come forward, complicating the legal pursuit.

Yasin, son of known criminal Mukhtar Malik, already faces multiple cases across city police stations. His arrest, along with Shahwar’s, is believed to be part of a larger supply chain targeting college students and gym-goers.

MDMA was often introduced as a party enhancer or fitness supplement, distributed freely at first to hook users. Once addicted, victims were reportedly coerced into acting as couriers or recruiters—fueling what officials describe as a “chain-marketing” model of drug proliferation.

In a parallel operation, the Crime Branch arrested Saifuddin and Ashu alias Shahrukh from Govindpura, seizing 15.14 grams of MD powder, a scooter, and a mobile phone valued at approximately Rs 3 lakh.

Saifuddin, who had been absconding with a Rs 5,000 bounty on his head, was allegedly active in Bhopal’s club circuit, using parties to lure young women into drug use and then leveraging them to expand the network.

The racket’s reach extended into gyms, clinics, and lounges, where MDMA was peddled under the guise of weight-loss solutions or high-paying job offers.

Victims were drawn in with promises of transformation and status, only to be trapped in cycles of addiction and exploitation.

Police have initiated a wider probe into establishments suspected of facilitating drug distribution.

Licenses may be revoked for venues found complicit, and several drug-dependent youth have already been referred to rehabilitation centers.

Authorities have appealed to parents and community leaders to remain vigilant and proactive in shielding children from the lure of synthetic drugs.

As custodial remand continues for the accused, Bhopal’s Crime Branch is working to dismantle the entire network—one that has turned aspirations for fitness and glamour into a pipeline of dependency and abuse.

The investigation remains on-going, with more arrests expected in the coming days.

--IANS

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