Delhi Police Seize Record 500kg of Cocaine Worth ₹5,000 Crore, Major Arrests Follow

New Delhi: In a historic drug bust, Delhi Police’s Special Cell has seized over 500kg of cocaine valued at ₹5,000 crore, marking the largest ever cocaine confiscation in the national capital. Authorities made a fifth arrest on Thursday, detaining 40-year-old Jitendra Pal Singh, also known as Jassi, at Amritsar airport while he attempted to flee to the United Kingdom. Singh, who has been residing in the UK as a permanent resident for the last 17 years, was allegedly in India to oversee cartel operations.
The arrest signals a wider network linking organized crime in India to international drug syndicates operating out of the UK and Dubai. Authorities believe this cartel spans multiple Indian cities, including Delhi and Mumbai, and involves major international players.
Dubai Connection and Mastermind
One of the suspected ringleaders, Virendra Basoya, an Indian citizen currently based in Dubai, is believed to be a central figure in the smuggling network. Basoya was previously arrested in an unrelated case but secured bail and fled to Dubai. His name resurfaced in interrogations of the suspects detained in connection with the recent drug seizure.
Authorities suspect Basoya operates a Dubai-based international drug cartel. Last year, Pune police uncovered drugs worth ₹3,000 crore in Delhi, including mephedrone, commonly known as ‘meow meow,’ in a separate raid linked to Basoya.
Dawood Ibrahim Angle
The police are also investigating potential connections between Basoya’s operations and ‘D-Company,’ the notorious crime syndicate led by Dawood Ibrahim. Dawood, one of India’s most wanted criminals, is suspected of supporting various smuggling networks.
Other Key Arrests and Recent Drug Seizures
The crackdown began last week, with the arrest of two Afghan nationals in Delhi’s Tilak Nagar, who were found carrying 400 grams of heroin and 160 grams of cocaine. This was followed by a seizure of 1.6 kg of cocaine valued at ₹25 crore at Delhi airport from a passenger arriving from Liberia. In June, a 70-year-old man from Cameroon was detained after officials found cocaine worth ₹11 crore hidden inside his body.
These arrests underscore Delhi Police’s intensified war on drugs, as they work to dismantle international drug cartels and combat narcotics trafficking across India.
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