New Delhi: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Monday claimed to have busted a major international drug cartel racket operating from the National Capital Region (NCR), Rajasthan, Punjab and Dubai, involving Indians, Mexicans, Canadians and British nationals as peddlers.
“Based on specific information our Delhi zonal unit seized 2.946 kg of Methamphetamine at a DHL shipping consignment on January 27. Following an extensive investigation, we subsequently unearthed a major drug cartel racket,” said Gynandra Singh, director of NCB zonal unit, speaking to ETV Bharat.
During the further course of the investigation, two consignors of the parcel were apprehended from Jaipur. “The arrested persons disclosed that as per the direction of their handler in a foreign country, they collected Meth from a Delhi-based trafficker regularly and used to send the parcels to Australia as per the details provided by their handler. It was also disclosed that they used forged documents for booking the parcels to hide their identity,” the NCB official said.
The supplier of the said drugs was apprehended at Rohini, Delhi, and during the search of his house, 12.16 kg of Methamphetamine was recovered. “On inquiry, it was revealed that the source of the drugs seized at Delhi is based in Punjab.
Furthermore, with the help of other electronic and digital evidence gathered as well as technical footprints of the arrested persons, it was confirmed that the source of the seized contraband is Ludhiana as well as the other international bordering districts of Punjab. It also came to the notice that the seized contraband was being made at the clandestine lab situated at Ludhiana and also fully manufactured drugs are being sent through domestic mules from various places in Punjab like Amritsar, Fagwada, Mohali,” the NCB official added.
Acting upon the inputs gathered, the NCB’s Delhi zone unit conducted multiple raids at Ludhiana, Mohali and Jalandhar. During the raid conducted at a premises in Ludhiana in January, two Indian nationals were apprehended. The search for their premises further led to the recovery of four kg of Pseudoephedrine.
As per the revelations made by the apprehended persons, follow-up actions were conducted by the NCB team at a rented godown, which was being used as a clandestine lab in Ludhiana, Punjab. “During the search of the premises it was confirmed that the said premises are being used for the production of Methamphetamine at Delhi,” Singh said.
The seizure affected various kinds of chemicals used in the production of Methamphetamine, including five kg of Pseudoephedrine (controlled substance under NDPS Act 1985). During the search, three Mexican nationals revealed as professional chemists, cooks and experts in the preparation of Methamphetamine, were also apprehended on the spot. During the inquiry from the apprehended people, it was revealed that these three Mexican nationals had arrived in India in November 2023 as per the direction of their handler based in Mexico and the UK and were staying at Ludhiana in Punjab.
“The arrested Indian nationals were providing all kinds of assistance and raw materials to these three Mexican nationals, who were acting as chemists in the preparation of Methamphetamine from the available chemicals,” the NCB official said.
Chemicals and equipment recovered from the said premises include acetone (2200 litres), caustic soda (450 kg), gas masks, gas stoves, 49 kg iodine, flask, small iron drums with chemicals, distilled water (24 litres), plastic syringe and gauge metre.
“During the further investigation in Delhi, one more associate was apprehended at Ferozpur in Punjab. An advocate from Mohali is one of the prime suspects in this case and is absconding,” the official said.
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