The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has dismantled two alleged clandestine drug laboratories operating from rented premises in Jahangirabad Kadarpur village, Greater Noida, and seized 379.74 kilograms of amphetamine-containing material, chemicals and laboratory equipment, according to a statement reported by Live Hindustan – NCR.
The operation, conducted under the name ‘Operation Crystal Hunt’, led to the arrest of two people, including Nigerian national Destiny Abraham Dambiri and Lallawamzuali, a resident of Mizoram. The NCB said the premises were being used to manufacture and process synthetic drugs.
The seized material included 4.26 kilograms of crystalline amphetamine-containing substance, 157.7 kilograms of semi-crystalline material and 217.78 kilograms of liquid material containing amphetamine. The total value of the seized material was estimated at approximately Rs 45 crore.
The agency also seized 10 kilograms of pseudoephedrine and chemicals including hydrochloric acid, acetone, toluene, sulphuric acid and potassium permanganate. According to the NCB, these substances and equipment were being used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
The action was carried out on Friday on the basis of intelligence inputs. The seizure from a rented location highlights the enforcement challenge posed by concealed production facilities operating within ordinary urban and peri-urban premises. The supplied report did not provide details about the tenancy arrangement, the length of the alleged laboratory’s operation or whether nearby residents had reported suspicious activity.
The NCB said Dambiri had entered India in January 2020 under the name ‘Francis Kalokoh’ and identified himself as a citizen of Sierra Leone. His tourist visa was valid until December 2020, according to the agency’s account.
The NCB also said Lallawamzuali had previously been arrested in connection with a case being investigated by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence in Goa. In March, officials reportedly seized powder containing 313 grams of heroin from her checked-in baggage at Dabolim Airport.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the operation in a post on X, describing it as an example of action based on intelligence inputs. He congratulated the NCB and said the operation reflected the government’s commitment under the ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’ campaign to dismantle drug networks and act against traffickers and criminal gangs.
The NCB statement, as reported, did not specify the next court date, the charges filed against the arrested individuals or the further forensic examination planned for the seized material. Those proceedings will determine the legal status of the allegations and the evidentiary findings in the case.
