Amit Shah congratulates NCB for busting global drug cartel, US thanks India

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday congratulated the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for busting a sprawling international drug cartel, calling it a shining example of multi-agency coordination under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

The NCB-led operation, codenamed Med Max, dismantled a global pharmaceutical trafficking network that spanned over four continents and more than ten countries, leading to eight arrests and the seizure of 48 consignments.

Amit Shah wrote on X, "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."

The US Embassy India official thanked the NCB and Indian authorities. It wrote, "Thanks to NCB and Indian authorities for helping protect Americans against illegal drugs and saving American lives!"

The cartel used encrypted apps, cryptocurrency, and international drop-shipping to smuggle-controlled medicines from India to countries including the USA, Australia, and several European nations. The operation began with a routine vehicle check near Mandi House in Delhi on May 25, where NCB officials intercepted two individuals with 3.7 kilograms of Tramadol tablets. Both were B. Pharma graduates and confessed to running a vendor profile on a popular Indian B2B platform to sell drugs overseas.

Further investigation led to key arrests in Roorkee, Delhi, and Udupi, Karnataka, where a call centre was discovered to be managing international orders. Data retrieved from the suspects revealed 50 international shipments - 29 within the US, 18 within Australia, and one each to Spain, Estonia, and Switzerland. This information was shared with global agencies and Interpol, triggering raids abroad.

In Alabama, US authorities arrested a re-shipper, Joel Hall, and seized over 17,000 tablets of controlled medicines. In parallel, Australian law enforcement dismantled an illegal pill-manufacturing unit linked to the same syndicate. Five suspicious parcels containing Zolpidem tablets were also intercepted in the US. The US Embassy in India thanked Indian authorities for helping save American lives through their timely action.

The syndicate operated with a structured digital and financial system. Orders were taken via a B2B platform with premium listings to attract global clients. Payments were made in cryptocurrency, routed through layered commissions to suppliers and re-shippers across different nations. Repeat buyers were often groomed to become logistics partners, helping the network expand organically.

The kingpin behind the syndicate has been identified and located in the UAE. Indian authorities are now working closely with their UAE counterparts to bring him to justice. With the operation exposing the convergence of cyber tools and transnational logistics in modern drug trafficking, Indian agencies have intensified financial and cyber probes, including the tracking of crypto wallets and hawala networks.

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