Delhi Police bust ₹12 crore drug syndicate, 5 arrested including 3 foreign nationals
Synopsis
Delhi's Crime Branch cracked an international drug ring with Nigerian and Ghanaian operatives at its core — seizing over 2.5 kg of heroin and 881 gm of MDMA worth ₹12 crore. The bust, carried out in phases across July, exposes a sophisticated multi-national supply chain running through Delhi-NCR's residential neighbourhoods.
Key Takeaways
Delhi Crime Branch arrested five accused — three foreign nationals ( Nigeria, Ghana ) and two Indian nationals — in a drug trafficking operation across Delhi-NCR .
Total seizure: 2.554 kg of heroin and 881 gm of MDMA , estimated at ₹12 crore in international market value.
Primary suspect Moris Okalie , a Nigerian national, was arrested on the night of 19–20 July near a hospital in Shahdara, Delhi .
FIR registered on 20 July under Sections 21 and 22 of the NDPS Act, 1985 at Delhi Crime Branch Police Station.
Both Indian accused — Sameer alias Nanhe and Lady — had prior criminal records under the NDPS Act.
Investigation is ongoing to trace the full supply chain and dismantle the remaining network.
Delhi Police's Crime Branch has dismantled an international drug trafficking syndicate operating across the Delhi-NCR region, arresting five accused — including three foreign nationals from Nigeria and Ghana — and seizing narcotics with an estimated international market value of ₹12 crore, officials said on Saturday, 8 August. The operation, conducted under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, led to the recovery of 2.554 kg of heroin and 881 gm of MDMA, both classified as commercial quantities under Indian law.
How the Operation Unfolded
The breakthrough came on the intervening night of 19–20 July, when a raiding team from Eastern Range-I, Delhi Crime Branch — led by Inspector Lichhman and operating under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police Sunil Srivastava and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav — acted on credible intelligence that Nigerian national Moris Okalie would deliver a drug consignment near a hospital in Shahdara.
Okalie, a 52-year-old resident of Chander Vihar, Nilothi in Delhi, was apprehended carrying a black shoulder bag. A search recovered 2.004 kg of heroin and 863 gm of MDMA. A case was registered on 20 July under Sections 21 and 22 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 at Delhi Crime Branch Police Station.
Subsequent Arrests and Recoveries
During Okalie's police custody remand, two additional accused were identified and arrested from the Chander Vihar area: Ibegbu Chigozie Samuel, a 50-year-old Nigerian national, from whose possession 254 gm of heroin was recovered; and Emmanuel, a 38-year-old Ghanaian national, from whom 14 gm of MDMA was seized.
Further investigation led to the arrest of two Indian nationals. Sameer alias Nanhe, a 28-year-old resident of Delhi's Nand Nagri, was nabbed from Shalimar Garden, Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, with 300 gm of heroin recovered from his possession. A 36-year-old woman identified as Lady, a resident of Ghaziabad, was arrested from Paschim Vihar in Delhi. In total, 11 mobile phones were also seized from the accused.
Prior Criminal History of Accused
Police records show that Sameer alias Nanhe had prior FIRs under the Delhi Excise Act and the NDPS Act registered at Nand Nagri Police Station and Bindapur Police Station respectively. Lady also had a prior FIR under the NDPS Act. Investigators say both Indian nationals were active members of the syndicate, involved in procurement, storage, transportation, and distribution of heroin and MDMA across Delhi-NCR.
What Investigators Are Pursuing Next
According to police, further investigation is ongoing to identify remaining syndicate members, trace the source and supply chain of the contraband, and fully dismantle the network. The scale of the haul — over 2.5 kg of heroin and nearly 900 gm of MDMA — points to an organised, multi-national operation with established distribution channels in the capital region. This operation is part of the Centre's broader Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, which has intensified enforcement actions against commercial-quantity drug networks in urban centres.
Point of View
Suggesting the syndicate lacked operational compartmentalisation. The presence of Indian nationals with prior NDPS records as local distribution links points to a well-worn playbook — foreign principals, domestic runners. The real test for investigators is whether they can trace the supply chain upstream, not just arrest the last-mile distributors, which is where most such cases stall.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What drugs were seized in the Delhi Crime Branch drug bust?
Police seized 2.554 kg of heroin and 881 gm of MDMA — both in commercial quantities under the NDPS Act — with an estimated international market value of ₹12 crore . Eleven mobile phones were also recovered from the accused.
Who were the five people arrested in the Delhi drug syndicate case?
The five arrested are Nigerian nationals Moris Okalie (52) and Ibegbu Chigozie Samuel (50), Ghanaian national Emmanuel (38), and two Indian nationals — Sameer alias Nanhe (28) of Delhi's Nand Nagri and a 36-year-old woman named Lady from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
Under which law have the accused been charged?
The FIR was registered on 20 July under Sections 21 and 22 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 at Delhi Crime Branch Police Station. Both sections pertain to offences involving commercial quantities of narcotic and psychotropic substances.
What is the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan and how does it relate to this case?
The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan is a government-led anti-drug campaign under which Delhi Crime Branch has been conducting intelligence-based operations against drug trafficking networks. This bust was carried out as part of that initiative, with the Eastern Range-I team developing sustained surveillance before acting.
Is the investigation into the drug syndicate complete?
No — according to police, the investigation is ongoing. Authorities are working to identify remaining syndicate members, trace the source and destination of the contraband, and fully dismantle the supply network beyond the five arrested.
