Cocaine worth Rs 900 crore seized in Delhi, Amit Shah praises anti-drug efforts

The NCB recovered over 82 kg of cocaine from west Delhi and arrested two people in connection with the bust. The consignment was valued at around Rs 900 crore.

In Short

• Narcotics Control Bureau seized over 80 kg of cocaine in Delhi
• Cocaine consignment seized from courier office, was to be sent to Australia
• Amit Shah says fight against drug rackets to continue ruthlessly

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Friday seized over 80 kg of cocaine worth around Rs 900 crore in Delhi, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah reaffirming the government's commitment to a drug-free India and saying that the hunt against drug rackets will continue "ruthlessly".

The confiscation of the cocaine came on the same day after the NCB, Indian Navy and Gujarat ATS seized about 700 kg of methamphetamine off the Gujarat coast. Eight Iranian nationals were arrested in connection with the bust.

In a tweet, Amit Shah congratulated the NCB for its back-to-back major breakthroughs against illegal drug rackets in a single day.

"The back-to-back major breakthroughs against illegal drugs in a single day demonstrate the Modi government's unwavering resolve to build a drug-free Bharat. The NCB today confiscated 82.53 kg of high-grade cocaine in New Delhi," he said.

The NCB recovered over 82 kg of cocaine from Nangloi and Janakpuri in west Delhi and arrested two people in connection with the bust. The consignment was seized from a courier office and was to be sent to Australia.

Amit Shah said the massive drug consignment worth approximately Rs 900 crore was tracked down by a "bottom-to-top approach". "Our hunt against drug rackets will continue ruthlessly. Congratulations to the NCB on this major success," he said.

According to NCB officials, the value of the seized cocaine is approximately Rs 900 crore in the international market. The drug syndicate busted has links with foreign countries.

The arrested accused are residents of Delhi and Sonipat.

This is not the first time that a massive drug consignment has been busted in the national capital.

On October 2, police seized over 560 kg of cocaine and 40 kg of hydroponic marijuana estimated to be worth around Rs 5,620 crore from a godown in south Delhi's Mahipalpur. This was the biggest drug bust of Delhi.

Tushar Goyal, the alleged kingpin in the Rs 5,620-crore drug bust, was arrested and served as the chairman of the RTI cell of the Delhi Congress, police sources said.

Goyal's link to the drug bust drew a major political controversy with Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing the Congress of pushing the youth of the country towards drug use and utilising that money to win elections. The Congress distanced itself from the row and said it had no connection with Goyal.