Engineering, chemical students cook meth in Chennai lab, supply chain extends to Bengaluru

CHENNAI: Seemingly inspired by the popular series Breaking Bad, four engineering students, aided by another pursuing masters degree in chemistry, set up a makeshift laboratory in Kodungaiyur to ‘cook’ methamphetamine, a highly addictive synthetic narcotic stimulant popular among the youth under various names like crystal meth, ice, glass, and speed.

Their side hustle came to an end when a special team of the Greater Chennai City Police got wind of the youngsters supplying the drug to peddlers, and busted the racket with the arrest of seven, including the students.

Sources said the network extended to other cities like Bengaluru, too, and steps are being taken to apprehend the others involved.

Among the arrested seven are four engineering students from Ramanathapuram, who joined hands with a postgraduate chemistry student from a city college.

Sources said the gang of youth sourced raw materials, including chemicals, online while the apparatus required to set up the laboratory to make the drug was bought online and also from stores in Parry's Corner.

The arrested youth were identified as Fleming Francis (21) of Teynampet, Naveen (22) of Poonamallee, Pravin Pranav (21) and Arunkumar (22) of Kodungaiyur, Kishore (21), and P Gnanapandian (22) of Nandiambakkam, and Dhanush (23) of Manali.

Officials said Gnanapandian is pursuing a masters degree in chemistry at a city college, while Pravin, Kishore, Naveen, and Dhanush are pursuing engineering.

The police nabbed small-time peddlers selling synthetic drugs, and based on the information they provided, the students were also caught. About 250 grams of methamphetamine, chemicals, and lab apparatus from the makeshift laboratory in Kodungaiyur were seized from them.

They were produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.

Meth is a lab-made narcotic substance, which is already among the most widely abused drugs in the world, according to various reports.