India


Shah congratulates NCB, agencies on busting global drug cartel

New Delhi, July 2 (UNI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday congratulated the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and other involved agencies for dismantling a global drug network.

Shah reaffirmed the government's unwavering commitment to eradicating drug cartels, regardless of their location, in order to safeguard the nation's youth.

In a post on X, Shah said, “Congratulations to NCB and all agencies on busting a global drug cartel. The probe set a stellar example of multi-agency coordination, resulting in 8 arrests and seizures of 5 consignments while triggering crackdowns in the US and Australia against the ring that operates across 4 continents and 10+ nations”.

“Our agencies are constantly monitoring the sophisticated modes like crypto payments and anonymous drop shippers used by these gangs. PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji-led govt is determined to saw off every drug cartel and protect our youth, no matter where they operate from,” Shah said.

In one of the most far-reaching crackdowns against the illegal pharmaceutical drug trade, the NCB, HQ Operations Unit, successfully dismantled a transnational drug trafficking syndicate that used encrypted digital platforms, drop shipping models, and cryptocurrency to smuggle controlled medicines across four continents, a Home Ministry statement said.

What began with a routine vehicle interception near Bengali Market in New Delhi unravelled into a sophisticated criminal web operating across India, USA, Australia, and Europe- showcasing the global reach of illicit pharma networks and NCB’s capability to lead coordinated international enforcement actions. This operation uncovered a global network spanning four continents and more than 10 countries.

On May 25, acting on secret intelligence, the NCB HQ Ops team intercepted a car near Mandi House in Delhi. 3.7 kg of Tramadol tablets were seized from the two occupants- both B Pharma graduates from a reputed private university in Noida.

The arrested individuals confessed to operating a vendor profile on a major Indian B2B platform, from where they sold pharmaceutical pills to clients across USA, Europe, and Australia. Leads from the interrogation led to a stockist in Roorkee, followed by the arrest of a key associate in Mayur Vihar, Delhi, who revealed connections with a contact in Udupi (Karnataka) responsible for organising bulk orders for shipments to the USA.

From Udupi, NCB uncovered data on 50 international consignments, including 29 packages from USA, 18 from Australia and one each to Estonia, Spain and Switzerland.

The information was shared with global counterparts and Interpol, leading to the identification and arrest of a bulk re-shipper and money launderer in Alabama, USA by the US DEA, along with a massive haul of controlled medicines.

The syndicate operated on encrypted communication platforms like Telegram, relied on cryptocurrency payments, PayPal, Western Union and used anonymous international drop shippers to evade detection.

Further digital forensics led to arrests of two more Indian nationals from New Delhi and Jaipur, who handled logistics and supply-side operations. The operators never shipped in their home countries and coordinated through other drop-shippers in network to avoid legal consequences.

The kingpin, who coordinated international linkages and finances, has been identified and located in the UAE. NCB is actively working in collaboration with UAE authorities.

Investigations further revealed the existence of a clandestine pill manufacturing facility in Australia, directly tied to the syndicate. Law enforcement in Australia has successfully dismantled this unit. Operations in other jurisdictions are still ongoing.

In a significant development stemming from intelligence shared by India’s NCB, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (US DEA) has apprehended a key player in an international drug trafficking network. Joel Hall, a major re-shipper based in Alabama, was arrested following a coordinated operation, leading to the seizure of over 17,000 tablets of controlled medication.

During the crackdown, authorities also uncovered multiple cryptocurrency wallets and active parcels linked to the syndicate, indicating a sophisticated and tech-enabled trafficking operation. Investigative and enforcement actions concerning these digital assets and parcels are actively ongoing.

Adding to the breakthrough, an Indian-American individual identified as a key money launderer in the network is now facing indictment in the US, marking a critical step in dismantling the financial backbone of this illegal enterprise.

In parallel, the US DEA has successfully intercepted five parcels, resulting in the recovery of approximately 700 grams of Zolpidem tablets, a commonly misused sedative.

Investigations have revealed that the mastermind of this international drug trafficking network was operating out of the UAE, orchestrating both the orders and supply modules with a high level of coordination and compartmentalisation.

With eight arrests so far, the financial trail involving crypto wallets and hawala channels is under investigation. NCB is also engaging with private sector platforms to counter the proliferation of illegal online pharmacies that openly advertise the sale of controlled medicines.
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