Staff Reporter
Panaji
Coming on the heels of a major crackdown on an international drug cartel last week in North Goa, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) busted an LSD manufacturing unit in Anjuna and arrested the alleged manufacturer A. Kundu
on Monday.
Drugs worth over `25 lakh were seized in the major raid against the illicit drug trade, which was clandestinely operated from the premises in the
coastal village.
Kundu set up the lab to cash in on the high demand for LSD in Goa, NCB officials said, adding that the accused had been in the narcotic making trade for the last few years.
He had been in contact with various other syndicates in various cities of the country for supply of drugs; some foreigners were also part of these syndicates.
The NCB officials seized during the raid drug-making equipment used in the lab, as also other material. Also, 2,464 LSD blots (61.97 gram), 10.47 gram MDMA powder, 76.6 gram hashish moist powder, 60.5 gram hydroponic weed (ganja), 3.42 gram hashish, 25 psilocybin mushroom capsules (five gram), all worth over `25 lakh, were also seized.
The raid unearthed `32,000 in cash and banknotes in foreign currencies – $18 and Sri Lankan
rupee 38,210.
Amit Ghawate, zonal director at the NCB Mumbai, said that material used for manufacturing drugs including a few basic, crude and sophisticated lab equipment, base material for drugs as also currency notes received from sale proceeds were seized from the spot.
It is pertinent to note that last week the NCB busted the international drug cartel that was run from North Goa. Three people including two Russians – an Olympic silver medallist and an ex-cop – were arrested and drugs worth lakhs of rupees were seized.
The NCB officials said the large drug haul had pushed the sleuths to pursue other intelligence inputs, which strongly indicated the presence of a manufacturing unit in the region.
Throwing light on the ways of the particular illicit trade, Ghawate disclosed that after rigorous analysis, the identity of A. Kundu came to fore. The information gathered indicated that local networks had been approaching a big-time manufacturer through various platforms for supply of drugs primarily LSD.
He said that soon a credible piece of information was received, which conclusively established that Kundu was manufacturing drugs.
Subsequently officials of NCB-Goa chalked out a plan to apprehend the man at his Anjuna unit; the presence of narcotic drugs also was confirmed.
“Drugs were seized during the initial search. However, during a careful search of inner spaces of the unit, lab equipment, huge stock of raw paper used for making LSD blots, paper cutting machines, droppers and several undipped square-cut paper sheets were found,” Ghawate said.
The NCB officials said that Kundu confessed to his role in illicit drug manufacturing.
To make the most of the huge demand for LSD in the state, Kundu studied drug making and gradually established the whole setup, the NCB revealed, observing that the arrest of the manufacturer will impact drug trafficking.
Further investigation is underway to identify other receiver syndicate members and suppliers of raw material.