The lab was allegedly set up by a Delhi-based businessman, a Tihar Jail warden, and a Mexican cartel member; agency believes drug mafia is shifting to industrial areas for setting up such labs
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in coordination with the Delhi police Special Cell, has busted a methamphetamine manufacturing unit in Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Budh Nagar, arrested five persons, and seized about 95 kg of the drugs. The laboratory was allegedly set up by a Delhi-based businessman along with a Tihar Jail warden. A Mexican cartel member was part of the syndicate. The NCB is yet to reveal their names.
The agency initially received a tip-off about the illegal laboratory being established in the National Capital Region (NCR) for the production of synthetic drugs such as meth for exports and sale in India.
Based on the inputs, the NCB conducted a search in a factory located in the Kasana Industrial Area of Gautam Budh Nagar on October 25 and found about 95 kg of meth in solid and liquid forms.
“Chemicals like acetone, sodium hydroxide, methylene chloride, premium grade ethanol, toluene, red phosphorus, ethyl acetate, etc. and imported machinery for manufacturing were also found. The Special Cell of the Delhi Police also participated in the operation as the drug network had footprint across several places in NCR of Delhi,” said NCB Deputy Director-General (Ops) Gyaneshwar Singh.
He said that during a preliminary inquiry, the agency found that the Delhi-based businessman,
who was in the factory at the time of the raid, and the Tihar Jail warden were instrumental in establishing the illegal factory, procuring chemicals required for manufacturing of meth from various sources and importing the machinery.
“The businessman had previously been arrested by the Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in an NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) case and had been lodged in the Tihar jail where he came into contact with the jail warden who became his accomplice,” said Mr. Singh.
A chemist from Mumbai was roped in by them for manufacturing the drugs and it was tested by the member of the Mexican cartel residing in Delhi. All the accused were arrested by the NCB and produced before a magistrate on Sunday. The court remanded them in police custody for three days.
Financial trail
“In the follow-up action, one important member of the syndicate and close associate of the Delhi businessman was apprehended from the Rajouri Garden area of Delhi and will be produced before the court concerned,” he said. The NCB is probing the forward and backward linkages, financial trail, and the assets generated by the accused through illegal drug trafficking.
The agency believes that given the low cost of production of synthetic drugs such as meth and mephedrone, the drug mafia is increasingly shifting to setting up labs in industrial areas to evade detection while transporting precursor materials and machinery.
The waste generated from labs and the toxic fumes coming out of chimneys during chemical processing in an industrial area would not attract the attention of the local police.