International drug syndicate busted by Delhi Police

New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) An international drug syndicate involved in smuggling drugs worth crores into the country using the dark web, cryptocurrency and fake documents was dismantled with the arrest of its mastermind, officials said on Sunday.

Over three months, the syndicate imported 48 kg of marijuana worth Rs 20-25 crore, strategically avoiding detection of commercial quantities of the contraband. Illegally acquired assets worth Rs 1.5 crore were also seized, they said.

Police said Lokesh Dhingra, the mastermind, was nabbed on Friday.

Police started tailing members of the gang after a parcel containing 1.5 kg of hydroponic marijuana valued at Rs 1 crore was seized at the RK Puram post office on October 18.

More searches led to additional seizures worth Rs 2 crore in transit. An FIR was registered under the NDPS Act, police said.

"The mastermind Lokesh Dhingra alias Loki and his associates, Vivek and Mansher Singh fled after the initial seizures. Vivek was arrested in November 2023 after returning from Thailand. Dhingra and Singh were traced to a Gurugram flat owned by one woman who was arrested for harbouring the fugitives," Deputy Commissioner of Police (crime branch) Satish Kumar said.

The officer further said that the syndicate used fake SIM cards, privacy tools and fake IDs to avoid detection, distributing contraband in Noida and Gurugram.

Dhingra, a habitual offender, has been detained and sent to jail, he said. PTI BM SKY SKY