No fewer than 50 Nigerians have been arrested in one of India’s largest coordinated crackdowns on a transnational narcotics network. They are believed to be linked to a sprawling drug-distribution and hawala laundering syndicate spread across several major cities in India.
According to a report on Thursday by NDTV, an Indian news agency, the operation was led by the Delhi Police in collaboration with the Telangana Police’s EAGLE unit.
It was reported that months of intelligence gathering culminated in days of simultaneous raids across Delhi, leading officers to dismantle key layers of a cartel moving methamphetamine and cocaine across India.
According to the report, investigations revealed that the cartel maintained an extensive customer base using encrypted communication and delivery methods modelled after food-delivery apps to execute drug “dead drops” and avoid face-to-face exchanges.
“The network was extremely sophisticated. They used layered communication channels and app-based delivery patterns to evade law-enforcement detection,” the report stated.
Officials also disclosed that the syndicate’s distribution chain was intertwined with a sex-trade ring, which provided both cover and logistics for drug circulation.
The report reads, “Investigators have identified approximately 2,000 individuals who were supplied drugs through courier and dead-drop methods.”
“Furthermore, the authorities uncovered that the sex trade was used as a cover for drug supply and distribution, extending the criminal reach of the cartel.”
