New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has congratulated the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and other agencies on busting a global drug cartel.
Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is determined to dismantle every drug cartel and protect our youth, no matter where they operate from.
“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 4 continents and 10+ nations.
“Our agencies are constantly monitoring the sophisticated modes like crypto payments and anonymous drop shippers used by these gangs. PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji-led govt is determined to saw off every drug cartel and protect our youth, no matter where they operate from,” he said in a post on X.
In one of the most far-reaching crackdowns against the illegal pharmaceutical drug trade, the NCB, HQ Operations Unit, successfully dismantled a transnational drug trafficking syndicate that used encrypted digital platforms, drop shipping models, and cryptocurrency to smuggle controlled medicines across four continents, it said.
What began with a routine vehicle interception near Bengali Market in the national capital unravelled into a sophisticated criminal web operating across India, USA, Australia, and Europe — showcasing the global reach of illicit pharma networks and NCB’s capability to lead coordinated international enforcement actions, it added.
The operation uncovered a global network spanning 04 continents and more than 10 countries.
In a significant development stemming from intelligence shared by India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (US DEA) has apprehended a key player in an international drug trafficking network. Joel Hall, a major re-shipper based in Alabama, was arrested following a coordinated operation, leading to the seizure of over 17,000 tablets of controlled medication.
During the crackdown, authorities also uncovered multiple cryptocurrency wallets and active parcels linked to the syndicate, indicating a sophisticated and tech-enabled trafficking operation. Investigative and enforcement actions concerning these digital assets and parcels are actively ongoing.
Adding to the breakthrough, an Indian-American individual identified as a key money launderer in the network is now facing indictment in the United States, marking a critical step in dismantling the financial backbone of this illegal enterprise.
