In a significant blow to organized drug trafficking, a joint operation by Hyderabad's Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) and the Delhi Police has exposed a sophisticated pan-India network used to launder drug money. The crackdown led to the arrest of 50 African nationals, predominantly from Nigeria, who are suspected to be key players in the supply chain.
The Web of Mule Bank Accounts
Investigators made a critical discovery, unearthing 59 mule bank accounts that were systematically used to funnel proceeds from narcotics sales across the country. The scale of transactions was staggering. One single account received a whopping ₹3.72 crore linked directly to drug deals. Another account was even more active, with 551 transactions₹1.98 crore.
The holders of these mule accounts were spread far and wide, with locations identified in Nagaland, Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab. Due to the overwhelming evidence, police have officially named all operators of these mule accounts as accused in the case.
Extensive Courier Network for Drug Dispatch
The probe also ripped the lid off an extensive logistics operation. Drug peddlers, who were largely foreign nationals, utilized 30 different courier companies operating out of Delhi to ship narcotics to every corner of India. CCTV footage from these courier hubs frequently captured the suspects dispatching parcels.
Officials provided a specific example: "In one case, a track on a parcel sent to one Mansoor Oddakal of Kozhikode contained 160 grams of MDMA hidden inside shirts," EAGLE officials said. A Nigerian national, Promise Junior, was found to have booked an astonishing 106 parcels, highlighting the industrial scale of the operation.
Lavish Kingpins and the Money Trail
A major breakthrough occurred in Gwalior, leading to the arrest of alleged kingpin Badruddin and his associate, Sama Umar. Investigators revealed that both individuals were living lavishly in Greater Noida without any legitimate business activities to support their lifestyle.
The money trail led directly to them. "The investigation further revealed that large sums of money were being funnelled from mule accounts into the bank accounts of Badruddin of Noida, who posed as a garment businessman. Around ₹15 crore was deposited into six of his accounts and withdrawn almost immediately, indicating active money laundering," EAGLE sleuths stated.
In a coordinated raid across multiple locations in Delhi, authorities seized a massive consignment of drugs, including 5,340 ecstasy pills, 250 grams of cocaine, 109 grams of heroin, and 250 grams of methamphetamine. The total street value of the seized narcotics is estimated to be ₹3.5 crore.
EAGLE teams confirmed that this modus operandi of using courier services from Delhi to supply local peddlers and consumers in other states is a recurring pattern, observed in earlier cases like the Kompally drug racket. The month-long investigation, which involved close coordination and tracking suspects to courier hubs and banks, culminated in the successful raids and arrests, dealing a major setback to the narcotics network in India.
