The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), assisted by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), has uncovered a clandestine synthetic-drug manufacturing laboratory in a remote village in Jalaun district, in the Orai area. Acting on intelligence, a large joint team carried out the raid early on Thursday, October 29, and found the laboratory fully operational, a DRI official said.

At the laboratory itself, officers seized about 184 kg of semi-finished drugs and around 582 kg of precursor chemicals, along with drug-manufacturing equipment. Searches at the suspects' residences yielded around 15.4 kg of finished synthetic drug, about 153 kg of chemicals and a machine used in production, while a further raid at another suspect's premises recovered nearly 168 kg of precursor chemicals.

Taken together, the seizures amount to around 1,100 kg of drugs and chemicals. The Times of India, reporting the same operation, put the value of the seized drugs and material at around Rs 300 crore, yaani lagbhag 300 crore rupaye.

Two people were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The DRI said the raid dealt a significant blow to the illegal drug-production network and dismantled a major manufacturing unit; investigators are now tracing the supply chain, including the sources of the chemicals and the onward distribution network.

The operation is the latest in a series of large drug busts in Uttar Pradesh this month, but officials have not yet named the arrested men publicly or said where the finished drug was being sold. Further details are awaited as the investigation continues.

Source: The Times of India via ETLeboro