A clandestine methamphetamine manufacturing lab has been busted in Delhi NCR, which was being run by the warden of Delhi's Tihar Jail. The operation unit of NCB and the special cell of Delhi Police together busted this lab. A raid was conducted on 25 October 2024 in Kasana Industrial Area of Gautam Buddha Nagar, in which about 95 kg of methamphetamine in both solid and liquid forms was found. Apart from this, chemicals like acetone, sodium hydroxide, methylene chloride, premium grade ethanol, toluene, red phosphorus, ethyl acetate and imported machinery were also recovered.
Warden of Tihar Jail was running the lab
Initial investigation has revealed that a Delhi-based businessman, who was present in the factory at the time of the raid, and a warden of Tihar Jail played a key role in setting up the illegal factory, purchasing chemicals and importing machinery. The businessman was earlier arrested by the DRI in an NDPS case and lodged in Tihar jail, where he met the warden and became his accomplice.
A Mumbai-based chemist was involved to manufacture the drug and the quality of the drug was checked by a Delhi-based Mexican cartel member. All four accused were arrested by the NCB and produced before a magistrate on October 27, who sent them to three days of police custody.
This year, NCB has busted such secret labs at five places in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. NCB has conducted training programs to make local police aware of the trends in manufacturing and trafficking of synthetic drugs and build their capacity to detect clandestine labs.
Image Credit: India_Tv.