Film Producer 'Mastermind' Of Rs 2,000-Crore Drug Story, Smuggles Meth Chemical

A Tamil film producer, seeking greater wealth beyond the movie industry, orchestrated a drug racket that made him nearly ?2,000 crore over a three-year period.

NCB Headquarters in a joint operation with the Special Cell of Delhi Police and Operations Branch, busted a drug trafficking network involved in precursor chemical trafficking and seized 50kg of Pseudoephedrine. Three persons were arrested in this connection. After sustained¡­ pic.twitter.com/h9h1DTKVji

¡ª ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2024

Intel from NZ, Australia

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) received intelligence inputs from customs authorities in New Zealand and Australian police revealing the smuggling of pseudoephedrine, a vital ingredient in methamphetamine production, concealed within desiccated coconut powder or health mixes.

Methamphetamine, also known as meth or crystal meth, is a drug that is in high demand worldwide, and sells for nearly ? 1.5 crore a kg in Australia and New Zealand.

Acting on information from the US Drug Enforcement Administration, a joint operation between the Delhi Police Special Cell and the NCB was launched after it was traced that the shipments originated from Delhi.

Gang members tracked down to Delhi's Basai Darapur

After four months of meticulous surveillance, the authorities identified operatives attempting to dispatch another consignment to Australia and tracked them to a godown in West Delhi's Basai Darapur. There, members of the gang were apprehended while attempting to conceal 50 kilograms of pseudoephedrine in a multigrain food mix.

Upon interrogation, it was revealed that the gang, hailing from Tamil Nadu, had dispatched 45 consignments totaling 3,500 kilograms of pseudoephedrine over the past three years, valued at over ?2,000 crore in the international market.

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Tamil film producer 'mastermind'

The alleged mastermind, a Tamil film producer, remains at large, prompting intensified efforts to apprehend him and unravel the source of the illicit substances. "The mastermind of the nexus has been identified as a Tamil film producer, who is on the run. We are trying hard to arrest him so that we can find the source of the pseudoephedrine," an official said.

The NCB has collaborated with authorities in New Zealand and Australia to apprehend individuals involved in receiving the illicit consignments in those countries.

What is Pseudoephedrine and why is it harmful?

Pseudoephedrine (PSE) is a sympathomimetic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine chemical classes. It may be used as a nasal/sinus decongestant, as a stimulant, or as a wakefulness-promoting agent in higher doses.

It's harmful because it is a stimulant, it has several adverse effects, such as insomnia, anxiety, and hypertension. It is contraindicated for many patients. Futher, Pseudoephedrine is easily converted to methamphetamine, the recreational drug also known as meth.