INDIAN authorities have dismantled an international drug trafficking operation run by Nigerian nationals, seizing cocaine and MDMA with an estimated street value of approximately $600,000 and arresting two suspects, police announced.
The breakthrough came after officers in South Delhi received intelligence in early December about a Nigerian man with prior connections to drug cases who was allegedly distributing narcotics in the capital region.
“We received credible information about the suspect’s activities and immediately launched surveillance operations,” a senior police official said. Digital forensics on the suspect’s mobile phone led investigators to a second Nigerian national, resulting in the recovery of additional MDMA tablets during the arrest.
Police say the syndicate operated across Delhi and neighbouring states using sophisticated communications methods, including WhatsApp numbers registered in foreign countries and a network of local intermediaries to distribute the drugs while maintaining operational security.
Investigators believe the operation was coordinated by a “kingpin” based in Nigeria, though authorities have not disclosed the suspect’s identity. Both arrested men had entered India years earlier on business visas ostensibly for garment trading purposes.
According to police, the suspects turned to drug trafficking after encountering financial difficulties, leveraging international connections to establish the distribution network.
The investigation remains active as authorities work to identify additional syndicate members and map the broader international trafficking route. Police have not ruled out further arrests as they trace the network’s supply chain and customer base.
The bust represents one of the largest seizures of party drugs in the Delhi region in recent months, highlighting growing concerns about international narcotics trafficking through India’s major metropolitan areas.
Authorities declined to provide additional details about the ongoing investigation, citing operational security concerns.
