Delhi Police dismantle international drug cartel

In a major crackdown, the Delhi Police Crime Branch has busted an international drug cartel targeting students and young individuals. Two Nigerian nationals were arrested and narcotics worth over Rs 1 crore were seized, officials said on Friday.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Vikram Singh, on April 3, acting on a tip-off from informers, the police conducted raids at Krishna Park Extension, New Mahavir Nagar, and Tilak Nagar. The operation included a 20-hour-long surveillance effort that culminated in the arrest of two suspects.

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The arrested individuals have been identified as Humphrey Muwong, 33, and Chukwu Ebuka Umeh, 36, both residents of Mulago, Republic of Nigeria.

Police recovered 700 grams of high-quality smack from their possession. Subsequently, on April 4, a case was registered under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at the Crime Branch police station.

Further investigation revealed that the accused were operating under the directions of Dagri Jean Marc, a Nigerian national currently based in Africa. Marc, a former resident of India, had earlier established a robust operational base in Tilak Nagar, facilitating the distribution of narcotics.

The probe also uncovered that the cartel misused student visa provisions to bring African nationals into India under the guise of pursuing higher education at private universities in the National Capital Region and Punjab. In many cases, these visas served merely as a cover for drug trafficking activities.

DCP Singh further stated that Marc ran a decentralized network, issuing instructions directly from Africa to operatives based in India. During his earlier stay in India, he built a local distribution network—particularly concentrated in the Tilak Nagar area—exploiting legal loopholes and visa policies to recruit African nationals into the trade.

A case has been registered against the accused, and further investigations are ongoing.