Jaipur, Jan. 17 -- A joint team of the Rajasthan Police's Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Friday arrested a top ten most wanted MD drug trafficker carrying a Rs.1 lakh reward, Ramesh Kumar, from Kolkata as part of a probe into a multi-state narcotics network allegedly operating across five states. Inspector general of police, ATS, Vikas Kumar said the arrest was carried out under a special operation code named "Operation Vishnubahu", launched following specific intelligence inputs. The operation was conducted under the guidance of additional director general of police Dinesh MN, with a joint team of ANTF and ATS tracking the accused for several weeks. Kumar said 31-year-old Ramesh Kumar had been absconding for nearly eight years and was listed among Rajasthan's top ten most wanted criminals. Despite his young age, he is facing close to three dozen criminal cases registered across five states - Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana and Karnataka - related to drug trafficking, vehicle theft, extortion, robbery and kidnapping. Investigations revealed that Ramesh was the main mastermind behind the rapid rise of illegal MD factories in western Rajasthan. Several MD manufacturing units busted earlier in Jodhpur, Barmer and Sirohi districts were found to be directly linked to his network. IG Kumar said he had learned a low-cost method of manufacturing MD in Maharashtra, where the drug could be produced at a cost of around Rs.1 lakh per kilogram and sold in the market for nearly Rs.30 lakh, earning massive illegal profits. To evade arrest, the accused frequently changed identities, using multiple aliases and posing as a chemistry teacher or chemical trader. He avoided mobile phones and direct contact with associates, making tracking difficult. Police said he was planning to expand his narcotics operations further from Kolkata, where he had recently shifted and was staying in the New Town area. The ANTF-ATS team discreetly deployed officers in Kolkata, posing as labourers and pilgrims, and coordinated with local police. Based on sustained surveillance and intelligence from locals, the team finally traced and arrested Ramesh from the Howrah area, he said. Police also disclosed that the accused had close links with notorious criminal gangs in Maharashtra and Gujarat and had built substantial assets, including factories, shops and land, from drug money. Rajasthan Police have termed the arrest a major success in dismantling the MD drug supply chain. Officials said further interrogation of the accused is underway and more arrests and seizures are expected. Citizens have been urged to share any information related to drug trafficking with ANTF control rooms, assuring complete confidentiality....