Tamil Nadu cops bust drug ring, shut down meth lab in Andhra Pradesh

A tip-off that the son of a policeman was in possession of weed (cannabis) set off a chain reaction that led the Chennai police to bust a meth lab based in Andhra Pradesh. The lab allegedly supplying drugs to many states has been sealed shut and the police have now arrested the chemist working at the lab. The police is on the lookout for one another man who is suspected to be the maindrug supplier.

According to a Times Of India report, the son of a police sub-inspector was arrested on March 7 on the allegation that he had drugs. He was found in possession of one kilogram of Methamphetamine (MDMA) and was arrested. On probing further, the police team led by joint commissioner of Police RV Ramya Bharathi found out that he had been receiving the drugs from one person named Ramesh based in Hyderabad. Ramesh allegedly supplies drugs to a network in the city.

Further investigation led the police to nab a city gang. According to a New Indian Express report, M Thameem Rasullah (35) from Mannady would purchase drugs from Andhra Pradesh and distribute it through Sheikh Mohammed of Ambattur; K Nakur Haneefa (38) of Royapuram; M Kaja Navaz (37) of Mannady; and M Kadhar Moideen (28) of Royapuram. While Sheikh Mohammed was absconding, police arrested other accused and seized 230 grams of MDMA.

The police further traced the mobile phone location of the contacts of the sub-inspector’s son, one of which led them to a location in Ongole in Andhra Pradesh. “A four-member team, who reached the location, found that it was a meth lab. The local police were not aware of it. Our police secured the lab, seized 860 grams of drugs, and arrested chemist named Venkat Reddy (28) of Hyderabad,” said Deputy Commissioner E Sundaravathana, according to reports. Meanwhile, Ramesh, who is considered the mastermind in the case, is still on the run.

Venkat Reddy is a chemistry graduate working for Ramesh. Ramesh had set up the lab in an industrial area with a fake license. Venkat was allegedly recruited after a formal interview and was made to stay at a rented house near the lab, police said. The duo were able to make the drug easily as it is odourless and does not make much noise.

The police had said that it takes around 20 days to produce one batch of MDMA, which is then sold in bulk to smugglers in Chennai. “Ramesh would come to Chennai with at least four kilograms of the drug each time and sold it for Rs 15 to 20 lakhs per kilogram,” the police said.