India's First Major Seizure of Captagon: NCB Uncovers ₹182 Crore Operation
NCB seizes ₹182 cr Captagon in India's first 'jihadi drug' bust
Image: The Economic Times
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has seized ₹182 crore worth of Captagon, a drug linked to extremist networks, marking India's first major bust of this substance. The operation, named 'Operation Ragepill,' revealed a trafficking route from Syria to Saudi Arabia, with significant quantities of the drug concealed in a chapati cutting machine and a shipping container.
- 01The operation led to the seizure of approximately 227.7 kg of Captagon tablets and powder.
- 02A Syrian national illegally overstayed in India and was linked to the operation after entering on a tourist visa.
- 03The Captagon was concealed in a commercial chapati cutting machine and a shipping container declared as containing sheep wool.
- 04The drugs were intended for transshipment to Saudi Arabia and other West Asian countries, where Captagon abuse is a growing concern.
- 05Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized the government's commitment to a 'Drug-Free India' following the seizure.
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In a significant breakthrough, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of India has seized ₹182 crore worth of Captagon, a drug associated with extremist groups, in what is the country's first major bust of this substance. The operation, dubbed 'Operation Ragepill,' was initiated after intelligence from a foreign agency indicated that India was being used as a transit point for Captagon trafficking. On May 11, NCB officials searched a house in Neb Sarai, New Delhi, uncovering 31.5 kg of Captagon tablets hidden in a chapati cutting machine. Further investigations revealed a larger cache of 196.2 kg of Captagon powder in a shipping container at Mundra, Gujarat, imported from Syria. The total seizure amounted to 227.7 kg of Captagon, highlighting a trafficking route aimed at the Gulf region, particularly Saudi Arabia, where the drug's abuse poses serious health risks. Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the operation's success, reiterating the government's resolve for a 'Drug-Free India.'
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The seizure of Captagon could disrupt trafficking networks and reduce drug abuse in India and the Gulf region.
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