NCB busts secret meth lab near Delhi, says it has Mexican cartel link

NCB is looking for a Mexican national, suspected to be a member of the Cartel De Jalisco Nueva Generacion, who had been living in Delhi.

NEW DELHI: The Narcotics Control Bureau on Tuesday said it has busted a clandestine methamphetamine manufacturing laboratory linked to members of the Mexican drug cartel - Cartel De Jalisco Nueva Generacion. Indian nationals were running the laboratory in an industrial area in Gautam Budh Nagar near Delhi, NCB officials said.

NCB said the raid was conducted following information that a laboratory had been established in the NCR for production of synthetic drugs

NCB’s deputy director general (DDG) Gyaneshwar Singh said a Mumbai-based chemist and a Tihar jail warder are among the four people arrested.

NCB is on the lookout for a Mexican national, suspected to be a member of the Cartel De Jalisco Nueva Generacion, who had been living in Delhi and was roped in to test the purity of the drug.

NCB’s DDG Kumar Singh said: “Acting on information that a laboratory had 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, Gautam Budh Nagar district October 25, 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. The Delhi Police’s special cell also participated in the operation as the drug network had footprints across several places in NCR of Delhi.”

NCB said the Delhi Police’s special cell also participated in the operation as the drug network had footprints across several places in Delhi

According to the website of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of the United States, Cartel De Jalisco Nueva Generacion is one of the five most dangerous transnational criminal organisations in the world. It is responsible for trafficking tons of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl-laced heroin into the United States.

Singh said that a West Delhi businessman and a Tihar Jail warder were in the factory at the time of the raid. The two, according to the officer, were 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 met the jail warder who became his accomplice.

Singh added that they roped in a Mumbai-based chemist to manufacture drugs. A member of the Mexican cartel living in Delhi used to test the quality of drugs.

The four, who have been arrested by NCB are in three days police custody.

The federal agency is now probing the gang’s forward and backward linkages, financial trail and assets generated.

This is the fifth such laboratory busted by NCB this year. Officials believe the drugs mafia had started setting up such clandestine labs to produce synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine and mephedrone in industrial areas so that local law enforcement agencies do not get alerted on account of transportation of material and machinery, waste generated from the laboratories and toxic fumes from the chimneys.