Context: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) recently dismantled a Mephedrone manufacturing facility in Maharashtra under Operation Hinterland Brew, highlighting India’s vigilance against emerging drug threats.
About Mephedrone
Classification:
oNew Psychoactive Substance (NPS) – designed to mimic effects of established illicit drugs.
oEmpathogen-stimulant drug – accelerates communication between brain and body.
Effects:
oSimilar to MDMA (ecstasy) – induces euphoria, stimulation, and empathy.
oAssociated with undesirable effects: agitation, anxiety, hallucinations, and in severe cases, fatal intoxications.
Legal Status in India:
oGoverned under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
oManufacture, possession, or distribution without authorization is a criminal offence.
IAS-2026 - OPTIONAL / GEOGRAPHY / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION / SOCIOLOGY / ANTHROPOLOGY / ORIENTATION ON 03 & 04-10-2025 
