In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Delhi Police dismantled an international drug cartel, arresting five suspects, including four foreign students from an influential Nigerian family. The operation, conducted on Monday, March 31, 2025, in the Chattarpur area of Delhi, resulted in the seizure of MDMA, high-quality crystal methamphetamine, and Afghan heroin, all valued at approximately Rs 27 crore.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah took to social media to commend the agencies, stating, “Our relentless hunt against the illicit trade continues,” after the successful operation.
According to authorities, the NCB and Delhi Police’s Special Cell traced the source of the drugs to a rented property owned by an African national, where MDMA was being synthesized. The arrested individuals, including four African nationals from a prominent Nigerian family, were found to be operating a sophisticated drug network.
The operation began with a tip-off about a large methamphetamine transaction in Chattarpur. A joint team of NCB and Special Cell intercepted a vehicle carrying 5.103 kg of crystal methamphetamine, worth an estimated Rs 10.2 crore.
Further investigations led authorities to an “African Kitchen” in Tilak Nagar, West Delhi, identified as a key location in the drug supply chain. From this site, the authorities recovered 1.156 kg of crystal meth, 4.142 kg of Afghan heroin, and 5.776 kg of MDMA (Ecstasy pills).
A follow-up search in Greater Noida uncovered 389 grams of Afghan heroin and 26 grams of cocaine. The suspects, who are students at private universities in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Punjab, are also believed to be involved in cryptocurrency trading, officials confirmed.
The bust highlights the growing threat of organized drug syndicates operating with international links and raises concerns about the role of students in illicit activities. The investigation is ongoing as authorities continue to probe the network’s connections and the full scale of their operations.
