Indians arrested in drug bust in US

About 45 Indian American convenience store owners have been arrested for allegedly selling ingredients used in addictive stimulant.

In a major operation, about 45 Indian American convenience store owners have been arrested for allegedly selling ingredients used in the manufucture of methamphetamine, a highly addictive stimulant, in United States' Georgia province.

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As part of a crackdown codenamed "Operation Meth Merchant", federal officials raided several stores in the district over the past month and arrested 45 store owners and workers for selling substances used in manufacture of the deadly methamphetamine.

"The defendents have been charged with selling ephedrine and/or pseudoephedrine and/or other products and materials, knowing or having reason to know that the buyer's intended purpose for the product was to manufacture methamphetamine, " the attorney's office in northern district of Georgia said in a statement.

"Meth is an extremely addictive and dangerous drug that is poisoning our communities and impacting all our lives...Unfortunately some businesses seek big profits in knowingly selling products to make meth business and their owners and employees need to to understand that they are feeding the meth epidemic," US Attorney David Nahmias said.

He warned that all those who indulge in the sale of the chemical would face federal prosecution.

Several of those arrested, a majority of them from Gujarat, have already been released on bonds ranging from USD 10,000 to USD 50,000.