NEW DELHI: A drug manufacturing laboratory allegedly set up by foreign nationals inside a residential house in Greater Noida has been busted, police said on Wednesday. Nine people of African origin have been arrested and 46 kg of methamphetamine estimated to be worth Rs 200 crore in the international market has been seized, Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh said.
“The methamphetamine recovered is in the white, purest form. The nine foreigners were staying on rent in the house located in Sector Theta 2 of Greater Noida,” Singh said.“Police have also seized raw material which could have been used to produce methamphetamine worth `100 crore more,” she said.
Those held have been identified as Anudum Emmanuel, Ajoku Ubaka, Daniel Azuh, Levi Uzochukw, Jacob Emefiele, Kofie, Chidi Ijiagwa (all eight from Nigeria) and Dramemond (from Senegal), the police said.
The raw material seized from their possession included methyl alcohol, hypo phosphoric acid, hydrosulfuric acid, iodine crystals, ammonia, ephedrine, acetone, sulfur, and copper salt, police said, adding they also seized equipment used in manufacturing the synthetic drugs, along with high-quality face masks from the house.
On modus operandi of the gang, police said the accused had a drug supply syndicate in Delhi-NCR and operated from their rented premises in Jaitpur-Vaispur village in Sector Theta 2.
“A detailed investigation is underway to trace the gang’s network of raw material, chemical suppliers, members of the network who used to deliver the drug to customers,” the police commissioner said.
“Investigation is also underway to trace their financial transactions, supply lines connected abroad, possible links with narco terror,” the officer said. Police said they were yet to confirm whether these
foreigners were living here legally.