NCB, police in Rajasthan and Maharashtra bust inter-State synthetic drug syndicate

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in coordination with police in Rajasthan and Maharashtra, has busted an inter-State drug syndicate allegedly involved in the clandestine manufacture of synthetic drugs.

The NCB said that on July 22, a laboratory was detected inside a buffalo barn located in a secluded village in Rajasthan’s Barmer district.

During the raid, the Barmer police recovered several precursor chemicals, including chloroform, ammonium chloride, propylene chloride, toluene and bromine, along with equipment used to manufacture Mephedrone.

Two members of the syndicate were detained, and the NCB’s Jodhpur unit joined the investigation with the local police.

Interrogation of the accused led to the identification of a resident of Raigad district in Maharashtra, who allegedly transported the chemicals and equipment to set up the lab.

Following his detention by the Raigad police, the accused revealed that he had previously worked at a now-defunct factory. A search of the premises led to the seizure of approximately 34 kg of Ketamine in powdered form and 12 litres of Ketamine in liquid form, along with chemicals such as chloroform, ammonium chloride, propylene chloride, toluene, bromine and cyclohexanone, and various lab instruments.

“These shut premises were being used to run the lab clandestinely to manufacture Ketamine. Investigation has further revealed involvement of a mastermind who has been involved in earlier drug trafficking cases of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and NCB,” the agency said in a statement.

Earlier, a clandestine laboratory manufacturing Mephedrone was busted by the NCB Jodhpur unit in Sri Ganganagar, where five kg of the drug along with precursor chemicals were recovered. Among the arrested were persons with backgrounds in physics and chemistry.

In response to the growing trend of synthetic drug manufacture in concealed setups, the NCB has circulated a list of “red flag indicators” to all State Directors General of Police to aid in identification of such facilities.