Drug cartel active across four continents busted in multi-agency operation

The Hindu

20 hours ago

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday (July 2, 2025) congratulated the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and other law enforcement agencies for busting an international drug cartel that operated in over 10 countries across four continents. While the NCB's inputs have also led to crackdowns in the United States and Australia, eight alleged syndicate members have been arrested so far.
In a post on X, Mr. Shah said: 'The probe set a stellar example of multi-agency coordination, resulting in eight arrests and seizures of five consignments while triggering crackdowns in the U.S. and Australia against the ring that operates across four continents and ten plus nations.'
'Our agencies are constantly monitoring the sophisticated modes like crypto payments and anonymous drop shippers used by these gangs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is determined to see off every drug cartel and protect our youth, no matter where they operate from,' he said.
The syndicate busted by the NCB (HQ Operations) used encrypted digital platforms, drop-shipping models, and cryptocurrency to smuggle controlled medicines.
'What began with a routine vehicle interception near Bengali Market in Delhi unravelled a sophisticated criminal web operating across India, U.S.A, Australia, and Europe — showcasing the global reach of illicit pharma networks and the NCB's capability to lead coordinated international enforcement actions. This operation uncovered a global network spanning four continents and more than 10 countries,' said a government release.
On May 25, acting on a tip-off, the agency stopped the car near Mandi House and seized 3.70 kg of tramadol tablets from its two occupants, both B. Pharma graduates of a reputed private university in Noida. They allegedly confessed to operating a vendor profile on a major Indian B2B platform, from where they sold pharmaceutical pills to clients in the U.S., Europe, and Australia.
'Leads from the interrogation led to a stockist in Roorkee [Uttarakhand], 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 U.S. From Udupi, the NCB uncovered data on 50 international consignments,' it said.
They included 29 packages transported within the U.S., 18 in Australia, and one each in Estonia, Spain, and Switzerland. 'The above information was shared with global counterparts and Interpol, leading to the identification and arrest of a bulk re-shipper and money launderer in Alabama, U.S., by the US DEA [United States Drug Enforcement Administration], along with a massive haul of controlled medicines,' said the release.
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… — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 2, 2025
As it turned out, the syndicate operated on encrypted communication platforms like Telegram, relied on cryptocurrency payments, PayPal, and Western Union, and used anonymous international drop shippers to evade detection. Digital forensics led to the arrest of two more Indian nationals from Delhi and Jaipur, who handled logistics and supply-side operations.
The agencies found that the operators never shipped in their home countries and coordinated via other drop-shippers to avoid legal consequences. The kingpin of the entire operations has been located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The NCB is working in collaboration with the UAE authorities for further action.
Clandestine facility
The NCB probe also resulted in the detection of a clandestine pill manufacturing facility in Australia. Based on its information, the US DEA has also arrested one Joel Hall, a major re-shipper based in Alabama, leading to the seizure of over 17,000 tablets of controlled medication.
During the operation, the authorities also identified multiple cryptocurrency wallets/parcels. Besides, an Indian-American money launderer is now facing indictment in the U.S. In parallel, the US DEA has intercepted five parcels containing about 700 gm of zolpidem tablets.
The investigators have found that the mastermind handled both the orders and supply modules with a high level of coordination and compartmentalisation. The orders module functioned via a major B2B platform, where the handlers subscribed to premium vendor categories to enhance visibility and attract potential buyers.
To manage incoming sales leads, the group ran a call centre based in Udupi having 10 staff members, many of whom were reportedly unaware of the illicit nature of the operation.
On confirmation of orders, advance payments were collected in cryptocurrency and routed to the supply module operators after deducting a 10–15% commission. The supply module would retain a further 10% before disbursing payments to re-shippers, located in the designated countries, who handled the final delivery.
The repeat buyers were groomed and recruited as re-shippers or stockists for expanding the network. Many such stockists have been identified by the NCB's international counterparts and action initiated against them.