The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has dealt a major blow to the drug trade in Delhi. The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANTF) achieved success in busting a well-organised drug cartel and has seized a large quantity of Alprazolam tablets worth Rs. 1 Cr in the international market.
Detailed Information:
The Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) has been tightening its grip on the drug smugglers to make the capital drug-free. The ANTF has been working on the initiative under the direction of Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena. On 28 July 2025, the team received an intelligence tip about the delivery of a large drug consignment which was scheduled to happen near Delhi’s Dilshad Garden Metro Station. In swift action, a special team of Delhi Police was formed, following which a blockade was set up at the Apsara Border, Anand Vihar ISBT flyover.
The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has shared the details about the car through a post on their official X account.
According to the post shared by the Crime Branch, the police team was led by Inspector Praveen Rathi, who acted under the supervision and guidance of ACP Rajkumar and DCP Sh. Sandeep Kumar Yadav, respectively.
Operation & Investigation Findings:
During the operation, the police team located a suspicious motorcycle. Upon searching the vehicle, the team recovered over 9 kg of Alprazolam tablets, which were worth Rs. 1 crore. Police arrested two suspects in this case. The first accused has been identified as Nishant Pal, who is a 23-year-old. Nishant is a resident of Giridhar Enclave, which is situated in Ghaziabad’s Sahibabad area. Meanwhile, the second accused, who was apprehended by the police, has been identified as Ajay, who is an associate of Nishant and is responsible for running the drug cartel.
According to the investigation findings, the drug network operated in a highly organised way. The accused Nishant had a history of working at a medical shop, while his associate Ajay worked in a company as a medical representative.
Both the accused used their knowledge about drugs, their illegal uses, drug effects, and the supply chain, and then set up a business of supplying Alprazolam tablets across Delhi-NCR without any prescription or billing.
The accused used to charge an additional amount over the fixed charges for every order. According to the police, the roots of this drug cartel are suspected to extend to the nearby states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
The investigation remains underway. The search operation is continuing to find the remaining members who might have links to the drug network.
