 "80 ganja plants along with over 2 kg of cannabis were seized from the apartment. PTI")
Just weeks after authorities busted a meth lab in Greater Noida, another drug case has surfaced in the region.
This time, a man has been arrested for the illegal cultivation of cannabis within his apartment in a housing society.
In a joint operation, the Narcotics Department and local police raided the apartment, discovering the hidden operation. According to officials, the man allegedly distributed the illegal harvest via the dark web.
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In a related operation last month, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Delhi Police Special Cell seized nearly 95 kg of drugs during a raid on an industrial site in Greater Noida. Five individuals were arrested, including a Mexican national and a Tihar jail warder.
How did the man create a ‘cannabis nursery’?
The man, who has been identified as Rahul Chaudhary, is a native of Meerut district and an English graduate. He had set up an elaborate cannabis nursery in his apartment using advanced cultivation techniques, police said.
Chaudhary grew a variety of cannabis in planters, using a sophisticated indoor setup. Inspired by several web series, he allegedly used the internet to learn about marijuana cultivation, a senior police officer told NDTV.
He sourced premium marijuana seeds from an international site and made payments through PayPal.
Since he could not risk exposing the plants to sunlight, he used full-spectrum lights and air conditioners set to precise temperatures, allowing the plants to survive indoors. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Saad Mian Khan said, “During his interrogation, Chaudhary said he started the cultivation around four months ago. It would take him roughly 100-110 days to grow one plant. Cultivating a plant would cost ₹ 5,000 to ₹ 7,000 and he would get ₹ 50,000-Rs 60,000 for each of them on the dark web.”
DCP Khan added that Chaudhary had invested in specialised equipment to control temperature, lighting, and humidity, ensuring optimal growing conditions without soil.
According to police, he had managed to sell cannabis from around 20 plants. During the raid, authorities seized at least 80 cannabis plants, over two kilograms of various types of marijuana, chemicals, and cultivation equipment from his flat.
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What happened during the raid?
When police raided the apartment of Rahul Chaudhary, they were shocked to discover an indoor cannabis nursery set up with full-scale cultivation equipment.
Inspector Anuj Kumar told The Indian Express that the sight was “straight out of a Hollywood movie.”
“We thought there would be few (cannabis) plants in a flower pot. What we saw were a full spectrum light, a machine regulating temperature, and cannabis plants numbered as per their varieties,” he said.
Notably, the police initially received a tip-off about Chaudhary planning to deliver a consignment but had no idea he was cultivating cannabis inside his rented home.
His neighbours, however, had already noticed unusual activities. Chaudhary’s late-night parties, loud music, and the lingering smell of weed had already raised suspicions.
One of his neighbours, Aniruddh Singh, told The Times of India, “Since I work night shifts, I usually return home around 3-4am. His door would remain ajar, with only the iron mesh locked. His music system would blare continuously, and the entire flat would smell of weed. I thought he was smoking them.”
Several residents complained that Chaudhary would often get into fights with guests, including his wife and brother. Notably, they fought on Diwali night as well.
“There was yelling and sounds of utensils being hurled on the ground. When I peered outside, Chaudhary slammed the door in my face,” Singh told the media outlet.
So, how was he arrested?
To make the arrest, police set a trap near Kachnar Estate in Greater Noida. Around 10:30 am, Chaudhary appeared and was caught as he handed a packet to a customer.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Saad Mian Khan said that Chaudhary had previously run an eatery in Greater Noida, which shut down during the Covid pandemic. Afterwards, he explored the dark web and started researching cannabis cultivation.
Originally from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, Chaudhary had been living separately from his wife and two children.
A case has been filed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and further investigations into his network and potential links are ongoing. Police seized 2.07 kg of illegal cannabis and 163.4 grams of OG (premium marijuana) during the raid.
Greater Noida and its ‘drug crisis’
Last month, teams from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Delhi Police Special Cell found a meth lab in Greater Noida and seized approximately 95 kg of methamphetamine.
The raid, conducted on October 25, revealed a facility linked to the notorious Mexican drug cartel, Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG). The lab, which was located in Greater Noida’s Kasna industrial area within Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddh Nagar district, contained methamphetamine in both solid and liquid forms.
Notably, Greater Noida has increasingly become a hotspot for drug syndicates establishing meth labs and cannabis nurseries. Several police officials told PTI that its combination of low-density residential zones and convenient access to Delhi makes it a strategic location for secret drug labs.
Rented properties in the area are often secluded, with open surroundings on at least three sides - ideal for dispersing the strong smell associated with meth production and reducing the chances of detection.
Another key advantage in Greater Noida is the availability of essential ingredients that are harder to source abroad.
“The profit margin by operating here is more than double. Also, the meth is second most expensive to cocaine and what they cooked here in Greater Noida was not meant for local supply but was to be exported," the officer told the news agency.