NCB busts lab manufacturing LSD in Goa; one held

PTI, May 2, 2023, 1:35 PM IST

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) busted an illegal laboratory manufacturing psychedelic drug LSD in Goa and arrested the main manufacturer after seizing banned substances worth Rs 25.17 lakh, an official said on Tuesday. Incidentally, the drug manufacturer was in contact with 1980 Olympic silver medalist swimmer S Varganova and former Russian policeman Andre, who were part of an international drug cartel busted by the NCB last week, the official said.

The LSD, which was found with the arrested Olympian, was supplied by the manufacturer, he said.

Based on specific information, the NCB team raided the manufacturing unit at Anjuna in North Goa on Monday and found that LSD was being manufactured on the premises, he said. The team seized contraband including 2,464 LSD Blots (61.97 gm), 10.47 gm MDMA powder, 76.6 gm hashish moist powder, 60.5 gm ganja, 3.42 gm of hashish and 25 psilocybin mushroom capsules from the facility, he said.

Apart from this, the team also recovered cash to the tune of Rs 32,000, USD 18 and Sri Lankan Rupee 38,210, he said. Different types of materials used for manufacturing drugs, including base material and sophisticated lab equipment were also seized, the official said.

The raid was a follow-up action of the seizure of multiple party drugs in the coastal state last week, he said.

During a probe into the seizure, the NCB received information about a wholesale manufacturer in the region and zeroed in on A Kundu who was manufacturing LSD at Anjuna, the official said. Lab equipment, a huge stock of raw paper was used for preparing LSD blots, paper-cutting machines, droppers and several undipped square-cut paper sheets were found in the raid, he said.

The accused manufacturer has claimed that considering the increased demand for LSD in Goa, he had carefully gathered knowledge for manufacturing the drug and then gradually assembled the lab setup, the official said.

Kundu has said that he was in contact with other syndicates in different cities for supply of the drugs, including foreign nationals, he said, adding that further probe is underway.