Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The cartel behind one of Delhi’s largest-ever drug busts, amounting to more than ₹7,000 crore, employed a mix of old-school techniques and advanced technology to evade law enforcement. In a series of recoveries, 500 kg of cocaine worth ₹5,000 crore was seized from Mahipalpur last week, followed by the discovery of another 200 kg of cocaine valued at ₹2,080 crore in south Delhi on Thursday. The same cartel is suspected to be involved in both cases.
Delhi police, after making seven arrests, pieced together the intricate operations of the cartel, which cleverly combined the use of torn currency notes as identification and encrypted messaging apps for communication to avoid being detected by agencies.
Old Tricks, New Technology
The cartel used torn pieces of currency notes as a form of verification. The delivery person and the receiver were each given a piece of the note, and the transaction would only proceed once the two pieces, when joined, matched the original number. This low-tech approach is reminiscent of methods shown in films.
However, the cartel also embraced modern technology, using paid encrypted messaging apps to communicate in an attempt to evade interception by law enforcement agencies.
A Cartel’s Global Network
Authorities revealed that very few members of the cartel knew each other personally. The operation in Delhi was activated only when a drug consignment was about to arrive. The cartel’s leadership, based abroad, would assign roles and distribute profits among members, ensuring a top-down approach to the entire operation.
The cartel is believed to have connections with individuals in the UK and Dubai, with Virendra Basoya, a Dubai-based businessman, suspected to be one of the masterminds. Basoya allegedly offered ₹3 crore per consignment to Tushar Goyal, who was arrested after drugs were found in his godown during the earlier seizure.
On Thursday, drugs were found stashed inside snack packets at a rented shop. The packets were reportedly placed there by a UK citizen, who is now on the run.
Enforcement Directorate Steps In
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched a money laundering investigation and filed charges in connection with the case. Officials have conducted raids across Delhi, Mumbai, and Punjab, as the scope of the investigation widens.
