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New Delhi, November 24, 2025 — The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Delhi Police Special Cell have delivered a major blow to transnational synthetic drug trafficking with the dismantling of a massive cartel and the seizure of 328 kilograms of high-quality methamphetamine worth an estimated ₹262 crore in the capital.
Code-named “Operation Crystal Fortress,” the joint effort culminated in a raid on a residential flat in South Delhi’s Chhatarpur, leading to the arrest of two individuals and the recovery of one of the largest methamphetamine consignments ever in the city.
The Digital Trail and the “Sales Manager”
What makes this bust unique is the highly sophisticated, yet distinctly modern, operational model of the cartel:
- Encrypted Communications: The syndicate’s operations were run entirely on encrypted communication platforms like WhatsApp and Zangi, with handlers using multiple fake SIM cards to maintain layers of anonymity.
- The Unlikely Courier: The investigation took a critical turn with the arrest of one of the key operatives, *Shane Waris (25), who posed as a *sales manager for a legitimate company in Noida. Waris was coordinating distribution under direct instructions from foreign handlers, highlighting how drug cartels are now recruiting seemingly ordinary, white-collar professionals to mask their illicit trade.
- The Logistics Loophole: Waris’s interrogation led to the identification of a female associate, *Esther Kinimi, from Nagaland, whose Chhatarpur residence was being used as the primary ‘safe house’ for bulk storage. Crucially, the movement of this massive consignment was reportedly facilitated using an *app-based logistics/porter service rider, exploiting the sheer volume of e-commerce and delivery traffic in the city to move narcotics discreetly. Link to a Foreign Fugitive
The NCB has revealed that the cartel is being controlled by an identified foreign-based kingpin who is also a prime suspect in last year’s major Delhi seizure of 83 kilograms of cocaine. This dual link confirms that the same high-level transnational network is diversifying its product line—from high-value cocaine to the growing market for synthetic methamphetamine—and is using Delhi as a central hub for both domestic and international distribution.
Authorities are now coordinating with international enforcement partners to secure the deportation of the overseas mastermind, emphasizing a new “top-to-bottom and bottom-to-top” approach to investigations to permanently dismantle these global networks.
[This article is an original creation. All factual details are honestly sourced, rephrased, and synthesized from reputable news outlets including The Hindu, NDTV, India Today, CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, The Indian Express, and various official government/agency reports. No text was copied.]
