Rajasthan ANTF arrests 80 drug smugglers in 9 months, nabs 4 top-25 kingpins
Synopsis
Rajasthan's ANTF quietly ran one of its most ambitious anti-drug operations in years — spanning eight states, deploying officers in shepherd and hospital compounder disguises, and netting four of the state's 25 most wanted traffickers. With 16 fugitives who had been on the run for up to a decade finally in custody, the force is now turning its focus to dismantling the financial networks behind the trade.
Key Takeaways
Rajasthan ANTF arrested 80 wanted drug smugglers over nine months under the drive 'ANTF Strike: Crossing the Diamond Jubilee' .
Operations spanned eight states ; arrested individuals hailed from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
Four of the arrested were among Rajasthan's 'Top-25' most wanted smugglers under the NARCO-25 initiative.
Combined police rewards on the 80 accused totalled ₹21.28 lakh ; 16 had been absconding for five to ten years .
Undercover tactics included officers posing as shepherds, hospital compounders, census workers, and electricity linemen.
ANTF has announced plans to next target the financial assets and operational infrastructure of remaining listed traffickers.
The Rajasthan Police's Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) has arrested 80 wanted drug smugglers over a nine-month period as part of a special enforcement drive titled 'ANTF Strike: Crossing the Diamond Jubilee', officials announced on 21 July from Jaipur. The crackdown, conducted under the supervision of Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Kumar Sharma and Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Dinesh MN, spanned coordinated operations across eight states.
Scale of the Operation
The 80 arrested smugglers collectively carried police rewards totalling ₹21.28 lakh. Of these, 65 individuals had rewards of ₹25,000 or more, including two with rewards exceeding ₹1 lakh and nine with rewards exceeding ₹50,000. Notably, four of those arrested figured among Rajasthan's 'Top-25' most wanted drug traffickers under the 'NARCO-25' initiative.
Among the accused, 16 had been absconding for between five and ten years, continuing to operate illegal supply networks while evading law enforcement. The interstate reach of the network was evident from the geographic spread of those arrested: 64 from Rajasthan, 10 from Madhya Pradesh, two each from Gujarat and Punjab, one from Haryana, and others traced to Kerala, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
Undercover Tactics That Broke the Network
To track fugitives who had gone deep underground, ANTF personnel deployed an array of undercover disguises. Officers posed as shepherds near cowsheds, hospital compounders to monitor suspects receiving medical treatment, and also assumed the identities of census workers, electricity linemen, labourers, contractors, and tenants to gather intelligence and verify suspect locations.
The operation was executed by five specialised ANTF teams — Delta, Victor, Samson, Rudra, and Randy. For operational secrecy, internal code names including 'Neelmani,' 'Vishanubahu,' 'Madmarjar,' and 'Khar-Dushan' were used throughout the mission. Technical surveillance and intelligence gathering complemented the field operations.
What Officials Said
ANTF Inspector General of Police (IGP) Vikas Kumar said the arrests mark a significant step forward but not the end of the drive. 'With the arrest of these 80 wanted smugglers, the ANTF will now intensify efforts to dismantle the criminal networks, financial assets and operational infrastructure of the remaining drug traffickers listed under the NARCO-25 initiative,' he said.
What Comes Next
The Rajasthan Police has appealed to citizens to support its goal of building a 'Drug-Free Rajasthan.' The public can share tip-offs with the ANTF Control Room by calling 0141-2502877 or via WhatsApp at 9261225056. Police have assured that informant identities will be kept strictly confidential. The force has indicated that dismantling the financial infrastructure of remaining traffickers will be the next priority.
Point of View
However high-profile, are only one metric. The real test of Rajasthan's anti-narcotics push will be whether it follows through on IGP Kumar's stated next step: dismantling the financial infrastructure and supply chains behind the network. Drug trafficking in India has historically proven resilient to personnel-level disruption alone; without choking money flows and cross-border logistics, new operators tend to fill the vacuum quickly.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ANTF Strike: Crossing the Diamond Jubilee operation?
It is a special enforcement drive by the Rajasthan Police's Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) aimed at arresting wanted drug smugglers across multiple states. Over nine months, the operation resulted in the arrest of 80 wanted traffickers, including four from the state's 'Top-25' most wanted list.
How many states were covered in the Rajasthan ANTF operation?
The ANTF conducted coordinated operations across eight states. Arrested individuals came from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
What is the NARCO-25 initiative?
NARCO-25 is a Rajasthan Police initiative that identifies and lists the state's 25 most wanted drug traffickers for priority action. Four of the 80 arrested in this operation were on that list, and the ANTF has said it will now focus on dismantling the networks of those still at large.
How did ANTF officers track down fugitive drug smugglers?
ANTF personnel used undercover disguises including posing as shepherds, hospital compounders, census workers, electricity linemen, labourers, contractors, and tenants to gather intelligence and locate suspects. Technical surveillance and coordinated field operations supported these efforts.
How can citizens report drug trafficking tips to the Rajasthan ANTF?
The public can contact the ANTF Control Room by calling 0141-2502877 or via WhatsApp at 9261225056. Rajasthan Police has assured that the identity of all informants will be kept strictly confidential.
