Amit Shah Congratulates NCB for Busting Two Illegal Drug Labs in Greater Noida

NEW DELHI, Oct 17: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday congratulated the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for dismantling two clandestine drug manufacturing laboratories in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, describing the operation as a significant achievement in the fight against narcotics.

The operation resulted in the seizure of 379.74 kg of amphetamine-containing substances, 10 kg of pseudoephedrine and a range of chemicals and laboratory equipment allegedly used to manufacture synthetic drugs. Two people, including a woman, were arrested in connection with the case.

In a post on X, Shah praised the agency’s intelligence based action and reiterated the government’s commitment to dismantling drug cartels by December 2029 under the Vision Document on Narcotics Control 2026-2029. The initiative is part of the broader Mission for Nashamukt Bharat being pursued under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

According to an NCB statement issued on Saturday, the arrested individuals were identified as Destiny Abraham Dumbiri, who claimed to be a Nigerian national, and Lallawmzuali, also known as Olivia Lalchawimawii, a resident of Mizoram.

The agency said immigration records indicated that Dumbiri had entered India in January 2020 using the name Francis Kalokoh. He was identified in those records as a Sierra Leone national and had travelled on a tourist visa valid until December of that year.

Lallawmzuali had previously been arrested in a case investigated by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in Goa. In March, authorities allegedly recovered 313 grams of heroin-containing powder, classified as a commercial quantity, from her checked-in baggage at Dabolim airport. She is currently out on bail in that case, the NCB said.

The two laboratories were reportedly operating from rented premises in Jahanabad Kadalpur village in Greater Noida. Investigators suspect the facilities were being used to manufacture and process synthetic narcotics.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the NCB launched a covert operation, code-named Operation Crystal Hunt, on Friday. The action led to the discovery of the two facilities and the recovery of substantial quantities of suspected drug-manufacturing material.

The seized amphetamine-containing substances included 4.26 kg of crystalline material, 157.7 kg of semi-crystalline material and 217.78 kg in liquid form.

Based on its assessment, the agency estimated that the crystalline and semi-crystalline substances could yield approximately 56 kg of finished crystalline amphetamine. The estimated illicit market value of the potential output is around Rs 45 crore.

Investigators also recovered chemicals including hydrochloric acid, acetone, toluene, sulphuric acid and potassium permanganate, which the NCB said are associated with the manufacture of methamphetamine.

The facilities were equipped with extensive chemical-processing apparatus, including large-capacity heating mantles, glass reaction vessels, storage drums, filtration systems, weighing scales, respirators and other laboratory equipment. The infrastructure indicated that the premises were being used for organised chemical processing, according to the agency.

The NCB has also raised concerns over the use of multiple identities by suspected drug traffickers to evade detection and mislead enforcement authorities. The alleged use of different names and national identities is being examined as part of the ongoing investigation.

The agency’s operation forms part of wider efforts to identify clandestine manufacturing units, disrupt the supply of synthetic drugs and target networks involved in the illegal narcotics trade.