NCB Cracks Down on Delhi-NCR Meth Lab Linked to Mexican Cartel

In a joint operation, the NCB and Delhi Police uncovered a meth lab in Delhi-NCR, linked to the Mexican CJNG cartel. About 95 kg of meth was seized, leading to the arrest of several individuals, including a Delhi businessman and a Tihar Jail warden. Further investigations are ongoing.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in collaboration with the Special Cell of Delhi Police, successfully dismantled a secret methamphetamine production facility in the Delhi-NCR region, reportedly linked to the notorious Mexican CJNG drug cartel. This operation, publicized on Tuesday, was triggered by intel regarding a lab manufacturing synthetic drugs for both domestic use and international export.

The operation took place at a factory in Kasana Industrial Area, Gautam Budh Nagar, on October 25, 2024. Authorities seized approximately 95 kg of methamphetamine in various forms, along with a cache of chemicals and imported machinery necessary for drug production. The involvement of the CJNG cartel underscores the growing international dimensions of drug syndicates operating in India.

A key participant, a businessman from Delhi, was found at the factory during the raid. Formerly imprisoned under the NDPS Act, he allegedly conspired with a Tihar Jail warden and a chemist from Mumbai to establish and operate the illegal facility. All individuals have been apprehended, and the courts have remanded them to police custody as investigations delve deeper into the syndicate's financial trails and further links.

This raid forms part of a broader crackdown, as demonstrated by previous operations in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, which unearthed significant quantities of synthetic drugs. Officials note an increasing shift by drug mafias towards setting up clandestine labs in industrial zones, where they hope reduced scrutiny will aid their illicit operations.

(With inputs from agencies.)