Greater Noida Meth Lab Bust, Mexican Cartel, And Cannibalism | What We Know

A recent raid in Greater Noida has uncovered a connection between local drug trafficking and one of Mexico's most notorious criminal organizations, the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG).  

On October 25, teams from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Delhi Police Special Cell raided a methamphetamine lab in the Kasna industrial area of Greater Noida and seized approximately 95 kg of methamphetamine in both solid and liquid forms. The operation led to the arrest of five people, including a Mexican national and a warden from Tihar Jail.

NCB Deputy Director General (Operations) Gyaneshwar Singh said that the investigation revealed a partnership between a Delhi businessman and the Tihar Jail warden, who collaborated to establish the meth lab. They imported machinery and sourced necessary chemicals from various suppliers. A chemist from Mumbai was hired to oversee the drug production and a member of the CJNG, who was residing in Delhi, was responsible for conducting quality checks on the meth produced.

Following the raid, the accused were presented before a special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act court on October 27, where they were remanded to three days of NCB custody for further investigation.

Cannibalism at Mexican cartel CJNG

The CJNG cartel, infamous for its brutal tactics and extensive drug-trafficking operations, is based in the western Mexican state of Jalisco. It was founded by El Mencho, the most wanted man in Mexico and one of the most wanted men in the USA.

CJNG, which has grown rapidly since its formation in 2010, was originally an offshoot of Milenio Cartel. It is now operating in over 30 countries, including the United States, Europe, and following the bust, India. The connection to the CJNG adds a chilling dimension to this case.

According to the US Department of Justice, the CNJN cartel is "one of the most powerful drug cartels in the world" and it is said to have full-time soldiers equipped with sophisticated machine guns and armored vehicles, with a detailed hierarchy.

The CJNG, reportedly, employs extreme violence and intimidation, including horrific initiation rites involving cannibalism. According to a report by The Daily Beast, experts said that recruits are often coerced into becoming man-eaters during the three to four months of boot camp.

"They are given a choice of one of those pieces to eat in front of the boss. You have to do it without reacting or vomiting, or you are beaten. If you didn't want to [eat human flesh] they wouldn't let you leave, they had you there," The Daily Beast quoted a source.

In 2017, a report in Mexico News Daily revealed that even minors were also involved in the training to eat the victim's flesh. They used to keep the corpses in a fridge and would later cut off and eat pieces of the flesh, according to the report. Even 12-year-old boys could be part of the same process, the report stated.

Why Greater Noida has become a drug labs hotspot 

According to a report by the news agency PTI, police officials said that Greater Noida has become a hotspot for illicit drug labs, attracting foreign syndicates, due its unique combination of low-density residential areas and strategic connectivity to Delhi. They explained that the area's isolated properties minimize detection risks, with many labs situated in industrial zones that can mask the strong odors associated with meth production.

Moreover, the availability of essential precursors like ephedrine, a controlled substance in India, makes the region particularly appealing. With prices significantly lower than those in Europe, Greater Noida presents lucrative opportunities for drug traffickers.

The NCB's raid also uncovered a range of chemicals necessary for synthetic drug manufacturing, including acetone, sodium hydroxide, and methylene chloride. Investigators are now focused on tracing the financial assets and logistical networks associated with this operation.

This bust comes on the heels of significant drug seizures by the NCB and other state police recently. Earlier in October, the NCB confiscated 907 kg of mephedrone in Bhopal, and the Delhi Police recently seized over 562 kg of cocaine from a warehouse in South West Delhi.