Special Commissioner of Police Devesh Chandra Srivastava said, “The operation covered the entire national capital with a focus on dismantling drug networks and ensuring public safety.”
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In a massive coordinated crackdown on narcotics and organised crime, the Delhi Police arrested 120 drug peddlers and seized a large quantity of narcotics along with ₹21 lakh in cash during ‘Operation Kavach 10.0,’ officials said on Monday.
The 24-hour operation, launched on September 20 ahead of the festive season, was carried out across more than 2,000 locations in all 15 districts of Delhi. A total of 1,140 police teams, including units from the Crime Branch and Special Cell, participated simultaneously.
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Special Commissioner of Police Devesh Chandra Srivastava said, “The operation covered the entire national capital with a focus on dismantling drug networks and ensuring public safety.”
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Under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 96 cases were registered, leading to the arrest of 120 offenders. The seizures included 158.9 grams of heroin, 40.2 kg of cannabis, 108 grams of cocaine, and ₹21,08,400 in cash.
Among the notable arrests was Sangeeta Devi from Dwarka, allegedly found with over 8 kg of cannabis and ₹21 lakh in cash. She has been identified as a major player in the local narcotics trade.
In Uttam Nagar, police arrested a woman named Barkha with 27 grams of heroin, while in South Delhi’s Ambedkar Nagar, 48-year-old Vinod from Madangir was caught with 2.7 kg of cannabis. Vinod later revealed he sourced narcotics from a contact in Jal Vihar.
The crackdown also extended to alcohol and arms violations. Under the Delhi Excise Act, 269 cases were filed, resulting in the seizure of 337 liquor bottles, 33,310 quarters of illicit liquor, 115 beer bottles, and 278 beer cans.
Police also booked 1,507 people for drinking in public. Under the Arms Act, 117 people were arrested in 115 cases, with recoveries including two pistols, 16 country-made firearms, 23 live cartridges, and 95 knives.
In parallel operations against illegal gambling, 358 people were arrested in 192 cases, with nearly ₹4 lakh seized. Police also arrested 26 proclaimed offenders and 24 auto-lifters, recovering 50 stolen two-wheelers.
The Crime Branch further cracked down on the illegal sale of cigarettes without statutory health warnings.
Acting on a tip-off, police raided a shop near Fatehpuri Masjid, seizing 1.1 lakh cigarette sticks worth around ₹25 lakh and arresting Sahid and Mohammad Shahnawaz Ansari of Dariyaganj. In Rohini’s DC Chowk Market, 10,000 cigarette sticks were recovered, leading to the arrest of Anoop Chaurasiya.
Additionally, 20,854 individuals were detained under preventive provisions of the Delhi Police Act, while 6,321 were taken into preventive custody.
“This sustained crackdown reflects our zero-tolerance policy, aimed at dismantling drug networks and protecting youth from narcotics. ‘Operation Kavach 10.0’ highlights our dual focus on strict enforcement and public awareness,” Srivastava added.
Since the beginning of the year until September 15, Delhi Police have arrested 2,163 narcotics offenders in 1,674 NDPS cases, recovering nearly 56 kg of heroin, 4,560 kg of ganja, 262 kg of opium, and other narcotics.
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