30 litre psychotropic drug seized from factory

Earlier on November 21, sleuths from the NCB and the Vadodara Special Operations Group (SOG) had tailed a Toyota Innova MUV (MH 04 DB 2466) coming towards Vadodara from Mumbai and arrested three foreign nationals in the wee hours of Friday from a hotel in Alkapuri with 1.5 kg of the psychotropic drug. Methamphetamine is considered to be one of the most dangerous and addictive illegal drug.

NCB officers said the drug was not meant for local consumption, but for export. They said a kg of methamphetamine, also known as ‘Ice’ within the drug circle, costs around Rs 40 lakh (80,000 US dollars).

NCB Zonal Director Ayush Mani Tiwari said: “The accused, Xie Jing Feng alias Richard (50), a Canadian national of Chinese origin and two Malaysians of Indian origin, Ravindra Karpaya and Gunashekharan Pillay, were found in possession of 1.50 kg methamphetamine. They were arrested under the NDPS Act 1985.”

NCB officers believe the laboratory was manufacturing the drug since December 2007. “So far, around 30 kgs have been exported from this unit to Europe and the US since December 2007,” Tiwari said.

He, however, did not throw light on the local elements, who have been helping in the production and trafficking of the drug.

“We have picked up the local elements who were present in the factory premises at Savli. Since the matter is still under investigation, we cannot spell out the details,” said Tiwari. Meanwhile, the NCB has alerted the Chinese authorities and the Interpol about the bust.

On Saturday, the three accused were produced before the judicial magistrate. The Innova MUV has been seized under the NDPS Act.

Full-fledged clandestine lab busted in India for first time: NCB

It is for the first time a full-fledged clandestine amphetamine or methamphetamine laboratory has been busted in India. While the NCB officers are yet to spell out the details of the local elements involved in the racket, NCB zonal director A M Tiwari believes the presence of the chemical industries in the region could have led the manufacturers to set up the lab in its premises. Interestingly, Sakha Organics limited manufactures organic hair dyes and paraffin wax in the Savli - Mokshi premises. “Amphetamine can be extracted from pseudoephedrine, used in brake fluids or grease,” said Tiwari. Used as a hyper-stimulant, methamphetamine, also known as meths, Double Ms or 'Ice,' has been in the drug scene since the 1970s, responsible for several killing across the US by infamous motorcycle gangs. “The end users range from party goers to affluent addicts,” said Tiwari.