In pursuance of Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of DRUG FREE India (Nasha Mukt Bharat) and acting upon the Hon’ble Union Home Minister’s directives to bust the entire network through top to bottom and bottom to top approach during the investigation, NCB Ops unit in a joint operation with Special Cell, Delhi Police has busted a clandestine Methamphetamine manufacturing lab in NCR of Delhi.

Acting on information that a laboratory is being been established in NCR of Delhi for production of synthetic drugs like methamphetamine for export to other countries as well as consumption in India, in which members of Mexican CJNG drug cartel (Cartel De Jalisco Nueva Generacion), are also involved, NCB conducted search operation in a factory in Kasana Industrial Area of district Gautam Budh Nagar on 25^th of October 2024 and found about 95 kg of Methamphetamine in solid and liquid forms. Chemicals like Acetone, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylene Chloride, Premium grade Ethanol, Toluene, Red phosphorous, Ethyl Acetate etc    and imported machinery for manufacturing was also found. Special Cell of Delhi police also participated in the operation as the drug network had footprints across several places in NCR of Delhi.

2        During preliminary enquiry 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 were instrumental in establishing the illegal factory, procuring chemicals required for manufacturing of Methamphetamine from various sources and importing the machinery. The businessman had previously been arrested by 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.

3        A Mumbai based chemist was roped in by them for manufacturing the drug and quality of the drug was tested by a member of Mexican cartel residing in Delhi.

4        All the 4 persons have been arrested by NCB and were produced before magistrate on 27 Oct , who has remanded all the 4 accused to 3 day police custody. In follow-up action one important member of the syndicate and close associate of Delhi based businessman was apprehended from Rajouri Garden area of Delhi and will be produced before the concerned court.

5        Their forward and backward linkages, financial trail and assets generated by the accused through illegal drug trafficking are being ascertained.

6        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 kgs Mephedrone in solid and liquid forms and about 7000 kgs of various chemicals along with the machinery were seized.

7        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.

8        To sensitise the local police about this trend of manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs and building their capacity to detect clandestine labs, NCB is constantly organising Training programs in various parts of the country. Earlier this month, a 5-day training program was organised at Ahmedabad in collaboration with Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) of USA.

                                                                                       Gyaneshwar Singh, IPS

                                                                                      DDG (Operations), NCB