A 36-year-old Nigerian man, identified only as Emmanuel, has been arrested in South Delhi, India, for allegedly operating a sophisticated laboratory manufacturing high-end psychotropic drugs, including MDMA and heroin. According to a report by the Times of India, the suspect was living in India illegally and was apprehended with "ready-to-sell heroin."
Police uncovered the lab during a search of his house in the Devli area, seizing a massive haul of raw materials. DCP Ankit Chauhan stated that approximately 113 kg of chemicals intended for synthesizing drugs were recovered, including 16 kg of crystalline material, 16 kg of grey grain-like substances, 51 kg of liquids, and 30 unlabelled glass bottles.
"The heroin and MDMA crystals that could have been made using these chemicals would be worth several crores in the international market," the report stated. Police described the suspect as a "'cook' or supplier in a larger Nigerian gang operation," marking a significant shift from smuggling to local production.
The arrest occurred on January 20 after police on patrol spotted the suspect acting suspiciously. A subsequent interrogation led them to his apartment, where the scale of the operation was revealed. An FIR has been registered against him under India's Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
This incident adds to a series of arrests involving Nigerians in India and other countries like Ghana and South Africa for drug-related offences, highlighting ongoing international law enforcement challenges.
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