The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has announced its intention to investigate a massive cocaine trafficking case valued at Rs 5,000 crore, following a significant drug bust by the Delhi Police. The investigation was triggered after the Delhi Police Special Cell transferred relevant FIRs and documents to the ED, which will also pursue a money laundering case linked to the drug operation.
Earlier this week, the Delhi Police made headlines with one of the largest drug seizures in the city’s history, confiscating over 560 kilograms of cocaine and 40 kilograms of hydroponic marijuana. The total estimated value of the seized drugs is around Rs 5,600 crore. The operation led to the arrest of four individuals in South Delhi's Mahipalpur, including major distributor Tushar Goyal, along with associates Himanshu Kumar, Aurangzeb Siddiqui, and Bharat Kumar Jain.
According to Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) PS Kushwah, Goyal is known to be a key figure in an international drug racket operating across India. Jain, who traveled from Mumbai to receive a consignment of cocaine, was apprehended along with the others outside a warehouse in Mahipalpur on October 1.
The police discovered 22 cartons containing banned substances in the warehouse, with an approximate value of Rs 10 crore per kilogram for cocaine and Rs 50 lakh per kilogram for hydroponic marijuana. Authorities confirmed that the hydroponic marijuana originated from Phuket, Thailand, and the cocaine is suspected to have been sourced from West Asian countries and various regions within India.
In light of the case's complexity, the ED is set to register a formal case soon, aiming to investigate the financial networks linked to this extensive drug operation. As part of the investigation, the Delhi Police have issued a Look Out Circular against Virender Bansoya and his son, who are accused of providing logistical support to the drug syndicate.
With the investigation underway, authorities are focused on dismantling the networks involved in drug trafficking and addressing the associated money laundering activities, reflecting a heightened commitment to combat organised crime in India.
