KEY POINTS
• Officers arrest 50 Nigerians during coordinated raids in Delhi.
• Cartel used encrypted delivery routes and sex-trade links.
• Hawala operators helped disguise drug profits as exports.
Indian police arrested 50 Nigerians after long-running surveillance on a cartel that moved methamphetamine and cocaine through several major cities.
The operation involved Delhi Police and Telangana’s EAGLE unit with support from teams in Noida, Vizag and Gwalior.
Officers carried out coordinated raids across Delhi after tracking the group’s movements for months.
Investigators explained that the cartel built a broad customer base. They relied on encrypted chats and delivery methods that copied food-delivery platforms.
Couriers dropped drugs at hidden points to avoid direct handovers. Police noted that the group layered its communication to stay ahead of surveillance.
Sex Trade Linked to Drug Distribution
Police uncovered a link between the drug operation and a sex-trade ring. Officers found that the ring offered cover for drug movement and helped move products across city routes.
Investigators listed about 2,000 customers who received drugs through courier services or dead-drop points.
An official described the network as sophisticated. Officers found that the structure of the delivery chain made it difficult for teams to track live movements. Even so, the raids broke several major channels inside the operation.
Hawala Channels Used To Launder Proceeds
The cartel pushed its earnings through hawala operators. Police traced a pattern where illicit funds were converted into goods such as garments and human hair.
These products were later shipped to Lagos. Investigators believe the strategy helped mask the profits as regular exports.
One suspected coordinator is believed to have moved at least ₹15 crore through these channels.
Police said the arrests mark a turning point in efforts to disrupt longstanding drug operations tied to foreign networks.
Officers plan to expand checks on immigration records, hawala contacts and suspected cartel figures outside India.
Wider Pattern of Arrests
Indian authorities have arrested several Nigerians in recent years during crackdowns on synthetic-drug routes in Bengaluru, Delhi and Goa.
Police consider the latest 50 arrests a major step toward weakening what they described as a complex and steady narcotics pipeline.
