Indian authorities have detained at least 50 Nigerians in a sweeping, months-long crackdown on a transnational drug and hawala syndicate operating across several states.
Local media outlet NDTV reports that the Delhi Crime Branch, working in collaboration with police units from Telangana, Noida, Vizag and Gwalior, led the operation that dismantled the network. The effort followed extensive intelligence gathering and involved the Telangana Police Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE).
Officials described the scale of the operation as unprecedented. About 120 personnel from Telangana were deployed to Delhi in two special railway coaches and remained in the capital for weeks to support surveillance operations and coordinated raids.
Investigators said the syndicate operated across Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Goa and Kerala, supplying synthetic drugs—including methamphetamine and cocaine—to an estimated 2,000 users. Distribution was carried out through courier services and dead-drop methods, with suspects using encrypted communication and interfaces designed to mimic food-delivery apps to avoid detection.
Authorities further revealed that sex-trade networks were used as a cover for the movement of narcotics, widening the syndicate’s reach.
Financial probes found that the group laundered drug proceeds through local hawala channels, converting cash into goods such as garments and human hair, which were then shipped to Lagos, Nigeria. Police estimate that the syndicate’s kingpin moved roughly ₹15 crore through these routes.
The arrests add to a string of drug-related cases involving Nigerians in India this year. In early 2025, police in rural Bengaluru detained three Nigerians after discovering MDMA hidden in clothing boxes, a haul valued at several crore rupees. In another Bengaluru incident, a Nigerian national was arrested with narcotics worth more than ₹1.2 crore, reportedly tied to an international trafficking network.
