50 Nigerians have been arrested in one of India’s largest coordinated crackdowns on a transnational narcotics network. They’re believed to be linked to a sprawling drug-distribution and hawala laundering syndicate spread across several major cities in India. The operation, led by Delhi Police in collaboration with Telangana Police’s EAGLE unit, involved months of intelligence gathering and simultaneous raids across Delhi, dismantling a cartel moving methamphetamine and cocaine.
The syndicate used encrypted communication and food-delivery app-style “dead drops” to move drugs, maintaining an extensive customer base. Investigators have identified approximately 2,000 individuals who were supplied drugs through courier and dead-drop methods. The cartel also laundered money through hawala operators, converting Indian Rupees into goods like garments and human hair, shipped to Lagos, Nigeria.
One identified kingpin is suspected to have laundered at least ₹15 crore through these hawala channels alone. The sex trade was also used as a cover for drug supply and distribution, extending the cartel’s reach. Indian police see this as a major step toward disrupting an “entrenched and continually evolving” narcotics supply chain.
The 50 Nigerians arrested were part of a larger transnational narcotics network involved in drug trafficking and hawala money laundering. The arrested individuals, including women, had overstayed their visas and were part of a Nigerian drug cartel. Police seized cocaine, MDMA, ecstasy pills, mobile phones, and passports with expired visas. The investigation is ongoing, focusing on tightening immigration checks, tracking hawala facilitators, and identifying remaining cartel commanders.
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