 "How a Noida flat became home to a 'nursery' of cannabis for the dark web")
A routine police raid turned cinematic on Tuesday as officers uncovered an elaborate indoor cannabis farm inside a rented 10th-floor apartment in Greater Noida’s Parsvnath Panorama Society. What began as a tip-off about drug activity led to the arrest of 46-year-old Rahul Choudhary, who police allege was cultivating and selling cannabis through the dark web, reported The Indian Express.
According to police, the flat housed a sophisticated setup more suited to a professional grower than a small-scale operation. “It was a scene straight out of a Hollywood movie,” Inspector Anuj Kumar described.
“We expected a few cannabis plants in pots. Instead, we found a full-spectrum light, temperature-regulating machines, and cannabis plants meticulously labelled by variety,” he said.
The raid was conducted after police received information that Choudhary was preparing to deliver a cannabis consignment. DCP Saad Miya Khan said, “We initially thought he was simply involved in dealing. It was only after questioning that he revealed he cultivated cannabis in his flat.” Police then launched a full raid on the apartment, discovering approximately 80 cannabis plants, valued between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 60 lakh, alongside ganja, OG (a high-grade cannabis strain), chemicals, fertilisers, and a variety of specialised cultivation equipment.
Earlier in the day, police laid a trap near Greater Noida’s Kachnar Estate and intercepted Choudhary as he allegedly attempted to hand over a packet to a customer. Upon arrest, Choudhary revealed that he grew the cannabis himself, marking a first for local authorities in terms of the scale and sophistication of such an operation.
Choudhary’s foray into cannabis cultivation reportedly began during the Covid-19 pandemic when his eatery in Greater Noida was forced to close. According to DCP Khan, “Choudhary, a post-graduate in English from Meerut, turned to the dark web, where he started researching cannabis cultivation.” Police say he procured seeds online from a foreign supplier, Seedsman, making payments through PayPal. The estimated cost to cultivate a single plant ranged from Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000, while online buyers allegedly paid between Rs 50,000 and Rs 60,000 per plant.
The raid yielded over 2 kilograms of illegal cannabis and 163.4 grams of OG, police said. Choudhary has been charged under Section 20 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.