NEW DELHI, India — In one of India’s largest coordinated crackdowns on a transnational narcotics network, 50 Nigerian nationals have been arrested for their alleged involvement in a sprawling drug-distribution and money-laundering syndicate.
The arrests were made following months of intelligence gathering and extensive raids across several major Indian cities.
The operation, led by the Delhi Police in collaboration with the Telangana Police’s Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE), targeted a sophisticated cartel responsible for trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine throughout India.
The authorities believe the cartel had an extensive reach, with operations spanning from Delhi to other parts of the country.
According to a report by NDTV, the investigation revealed that the syndicate employed highly encrypted communication methods and app-based delivery systems modeled after food delivery services to avoid face-to-face exchanges and evade detection by law enforcement.
“The network was extremely sophisticated. They used layered communication channels and app-based delivery patterns to evade law-enforcement detection,” the report stated.
The syndicate’s operations were not only limited to narcotics distribution but were also intertwined with a sex trade ring that provided logistical support and cover for the drug trade.
Authorities found that the drug supply chain extended to approximately 2,000 individuals, facilitated through courier services and dead-drop methods.
Furthermore, investigators discovered that the cartel’s illicit proceeds were funneled through hawala operators—an informal value transfer system—to launder the money.
The funds were then converted into goods, including garments and human hair, which were exported to Lagos, Nigeria, where the illegal profits were disguised as legitimate trade.
One identified kingpin is suspected to have laundered at least ₹15 crore (approximately $2 million) through these hawala channels alone.
The crackdown, which saw simultaneous raids across Delhi and collaboration with police units in Noida, Vizag, and Gwalior, marks a significant victory in the ongoing fight against transnational narcotics trafficking.
“The operation, which involved months of intelligence gathering, culminated with the arrest of 50 Nigerian nationals in Delhi,” the NDTV report stated.
This action is part of a broader international effort to dismantle global drug cartels and expose the interconnected criminal activities that extend across borders.
The recent arrests have been hailed as a pivotal moment in multi-agency efforts to disrupt these criminal networks, with law enforcement officials vowing to continue their pursuit of key figures within the cartel.
