A group of highly educated young professionals, including an award-winning postgraduate chemistry student, are under arrest after a police raid on a secret meth lab.
Chennai police in southern India uncovered a methamphetamine lab allegedly operated by five engineering graduates and a postgraduate chemistry student, NDTV reported, adding that the young chemist is enrolled at a prestigious Chennai university, and honored as a gold medalist for work while earning his Bachelor of Science.
The police raid led to the arrest of seven individuals, including the group of graduates.
Initially, the group reportedly sold small quantities of meth procured from a man named Arun Kumar, who has a history of violent crime. Seeking to increase profits, they shifted to in-house production by enlisting the chemistry student and sourcing the necessary chemicals.
One of the arrested graduates had misled his parents, claiming he was opening a café. "His parents had borrowed money to help him, thinking he was aspiring to start a business," said a police officer.
During the raid, authorities seized 245 grams of methamphetamine, two laptops, and seven mobile phones. Investigations are ongoing, and police are searching for two additional suspects, Arun Kumar and another man identified as Karthik, believed to be involved in the trade.
Chief Minister of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin, is executing an ongoing campaign against narcotics, and used the recent raid as an opportunity to urge young people to avoid the drug trade.
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