Nagaland woman among two held as agencies seize 328 kg meth in Delhi raid

DIMAPUR — A woman from Nagaland is among two persons arrested after a joint operation by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Delhi Police led to the seizure of 328 kg of high-quality methamphetamine from a residence in Chhatarpur, New Delhi, in what officials described as one of the largest meth seizures recorded in the capital.

According to a statement issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Sunday, the woman was detained with the support of Nagaland Police, and the bulk of the contraband was recovered from her residence. Both accused have been arrested, while several others connected to the network have been identified, including the alleged kingpin currently abroad.

The Home Ministry stated that efforts are underway, in coordination with international enforcement partners, to secure his deportation to India. The individual is also wanted in a previous case involving the seizure of 82.5 kg of high-grade cocaine in Delhi last year.

The latest seizure was carried out on November 20 under “Operation Crystal Fortress”, a coordinated, intelligence-driven crackdown targeting synthetic drug cartels and trans-national trafficking networks. The raid followed months of surveillance, technical intercepts, and tracking of operatives linked to the cartel, the ministry said.

Also read: Hornbill Festival 2025: Food prices capped, arena expanded as preparations intensify

NCB informed that the cartel operated through multiple couriers, safe houses, and layered handlers, using Delhi as a key hub for domestic distribution and smuggling to overseas markets.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a post on X, congratulated the joint team, calling the operation “a brilliant example of seamless multi-agency coordination” and asserting that the government is “shattering drug cartels at an unprecedented pace”.

The NCB said the operation underscores its continued focus on dismantling synthetic drug networks. It urged the public to report information related to narcotics trafficking through the National Narcotics Helpline (1933).