Mexican cartel’s connection with Greater Noida meth lab raid – Firstpost

A surprising link to a deadly Mexican cartel emerged after law enforcement agencies busted a methamphetamine lab in Greater Noida on October 25.

Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Delhi Police Special Cell teams raided a facility and seized around 95 kg of methamphetamine. Reports indicate that the lab’s operations involved a Tihar Jail warden, a Delhi businessman and a Mumbai chemist.

Members of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), one of Mexico’s most notorious drug cartels, were linked to the illegal drug laboratory. India today reported.

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drug bust

law enforcement officials from NCB and
Delhi Police Special Cell Around 95 kg of drugs were seized during a raid in the Greater Noida industrial area. They arrested five people, including a Mexican citizen and a Tihar prison guard.

In its statement, NCB said that the laboratory in Kasna industrial area in Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh was raided on October 25. He said approximately 95 kg of methamphetamine, a synthetic drug, was seized in both solid and liquid form.

The Delhi Police Special Cell assisted the federal anti-narcotics agency as the “drug network had footprints in various places in the National Capital Region”.

According to NCB Deputy Director General, preliminary investigations revealed that a Delhi businessman, who was caught during the raid, had joined hands with the warden of Tihar Jail to set up an illegal laboratory, procure chemicals required for drugs from various sources and import machinery. (Operations) Gyaneshwar Singh.

Singh added that a chemist from Mumbai was hired by the group to manufacture the drug and quality checks were done by a Mexican cartel member residing in Delhi.

The four suspects were produced before a special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act court on October 27, which sent them to NCB custody for three days.

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Link to Mexican drug cartel

The clandestine laboratory in Greater Noida was linked to the Mexican drug cartel known as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Originally an offshoot of the Milenio Cartel, one of Mexico’s most feared criminal groups, the CJNG is notorious for extreme violence and intimidation tactics.

Mexico News Daily It reported in 2017 that CJNG soldiers who failed their training were sometimes subjected to cannibalism as punishment.

A Mexican cartel member residing in Delhi allegedly tested methamphetamine produced at the Greater Noida laboratory, and subsequent investigations confirmed the links between the laboratory and CJNG.

Known for its extensive drug trafficking operations, the CJNG has expanded rapidly since separating from the Milenio Cartel in 2010 and operates in more than 30 countries, including the United States, Europe, and apparently now India.

Founded by El Mencho, one of Mexico’s most wanted men and a high-priority target in the United States, the CJNG cartel has gained a reputation for brutal tactics, including violence and psychological warfare, to seize control.

A few experts told Daily Monster that recruits were often forced to commit acts of cannibalism during the three- to four-month boot camp.

“They are given the choice of one of these items to eat in front of the boss. One source said you have to do this without reacting or vomiting or you’ll be beaten. Daily Monster.

“If you didn’t want to (eat human flesh), they wouldn’t let you go, they put you there.”

Investigation into the case

The raid on the Greater Noida laboratory also uncovered various chemicals required for the production of synthetic drugs, including acetone, sodium hydroxide, methylene chloride, ethanol, toluene, red phosphorus, ethyl acetate and special machinery, the agency said.

According to NCB’s Gyaneshwar Singh, the investigation is now focused on tracing the financial assets and logistics networks created through this drug smuggling.

This raid follows a series of significant drug seizures by central agencies. Earlier this month, the NCB seized 907 kg of mephedrone in Bhopal and the Delhi Police Special Cell, which assisted in the Greater Noida raid, recently seized 562 kg of cocaine worth over Rs 2,000 crore from a warehouse in Mahipalpur Extension. South West Delhi.

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Why are foreigners choosing Greater Noida to set up methamphetamine labs?

Many police officials said Greater Noida’s interest in foreign drug syndicates stems from a combination of low-density residential areas and strategic connectivity with Delhi, making it an ideal place to set up clandestine methamphetamine laboratories. PTI.

Leased properties used for methamphetamine labs are often isolated, with open spaces on at least three sides to disperse the strong, distinctive odor created during drug production, minimizing the risk of detection by neighbors, police said. This characteristic location factor makes Greater Noida particularly conducive for illicit drug activities without attracting local attention.

Another major advantage of Greater Noida is the availability of essential components that are more difficult to procure from abroad. Ephedrine, a drug and stimulant banned under the NDPS Act and whose sale is also banned by the government, is technically available for pharmaceutical purposes but with restrictions.

The cost of ephedrine here is ₹ 80,000 to ₹ 90,000 per kg, much lower than the price of ₹ 8-10 lakh per kg in Europe, where strict controls make its supply difficult. But in the black market, the price of ephedrine in India can rise to ₹ 2-3 lakh per kg, making it extremely profitable.

“The profit margin of operating here is more than double. Also, meth is the second most expensive substance after cocaine and what they cooked here in Greater Noida was meant to be exported and not for local supply,” the officer told the news agency.

Another factor that attracts drug networks to Greater Noida is the industrial environment, which helps avoid suspicion from local authorities.

These groups are increasingly setting up laboratories in industrial areas, according to the NCB. This installation allows the transport of machinery and chemicals and the disposal of laboratory waste, as well as the release of fumes from chemical processes without alarm; because such activities are common in such regions and help the operation adapt to the environment.