NCB, Delhi Police bust meth lab in NCR; 5 arrested

New Delhi [India], October 29 (ANI): The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Operations unit, in a joint operation with the Special Cell of Delhi Police, busted a clandestine methamphetamine manufacturing lab in the Delhi-NCR region, officials said on Tuesday.

Acting on information that a laboratory has been established in the NCR of Delhi for the production of synthetic drugs like methamphetamine for export to other countries as well as consumption in India, in which members of the Mexican CJNG drug cartel (Cartel De Jalisco Nueva Generacion) are also involved, the NCB conducted a search operation in a factory in Kasana Industrial Area of district Gautam Budh Nagar on October 25, 2024 and found about 95 kg of methamphetamine in solid and liquid forms, the NCB said in a statement.

According to the statement, chemicals like Acetone, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylene Chloride, Premium Grade Ethanol, Toluene, Red Phosphorous, Ethyl Acetate, etc. and imported machinery for manufacturing were also found. Special Cell of Delhi police also participated in the operation as the drug network had footprints across several places in the NCR of Delhi.

During preliminary inquiry, it has come out that a Delhi based businessman, who was found inside the factory at the time of the raid, along with a Tihar Jail warden, was instrumental in establishing the illegal factory, procuring chemicals required for manufacturing methamphetamine from various sources and importing the machinery. The businessman had previously been arrested by the Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in an NDPS case and had been lodged in Tihar jail, where he came in contact with the jail warden who became his accomplice, it said.

A Mumbai based chemist was roped in by them for manufacturing the drug and the quality of the drug was tested by a member of the Mexican cartel residing in Delhi. All 4 persons have been arrested by NCB and were produced before the magistrate on October 27, who has remanded all 4 accused to 3-day police custody, the NCB said.

In follow-up action, one important member of the syndicate and close associate of a Delhi-based businessman was apprehended from the Rajouri Garden area and will be produced before the concerned court.

The NCB said that their forward and backward linkages, financial trail and assets generated by the accused through illegal drug trafficking are being ascertained.

As per officials, this year, NCB has busted such clandestine labs at five locations, namely Gandhinagar and Amreli in Gujarat, Jodhpur and Sirohi in Rajasthan, and Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. Earlier this month, a clandestine lab was busted in a joint operation with Gujarat ATS in Bagroda Industrial Estate of Bhopal, in which about 907 kg of mephedrone in solid and liquid forms and about 7000 kg of various chemicals along with the machinery were seized.

It is believed that considering the low cost of production of synthetic drugs like methamphetamine and mephedrone, the drug mafia is increasingly shifting to setting up such clandestine labs in industrial areas so that local law enforcement agencies do not get unduly alerted because of transportation of material and machinery, waste generated from the laboratories and toxic fumes coming out of chimneys during chemical processing, they added.