In a significant crackdown on drug trafficking, the Delhi Police Special Cell arrested Jitendra Pal Singh, also known as Jassi, at Amritsar Airport as he attempted to flee to the United Kingdom. This arrest comes on the heels of the seizure of over 500 kg of cocaine, valued at approximately ₹5,000 crore, marking the largest cocaine haul ever recorded in the national capital.
Singh, a 40-year-old Indian citizen, had been residing in the UK for 17 years as a permanent resident. He reportedly returned to India to oversee cartel operations and was trying to escape back to the UK after the police’s successful operation led to the arrest of four individuals connected to the drug syndicate. Authorities had issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Singh to prevent his escape.
The police investigation has revealed a complex network of organized crime involving connections between India, the UK, and Dubai. During interrogations, the name of Virendra Basoya, an Indian citizen currently residing in Dubai, emerged as a potential mastermind of the drug smuggling operation. Basoya has a history with law enforcement, having been arrested in an unrelated case but later securing bail.
Last year, Basoya was implicated in a significant drug raid in Maharashtra’s Pune, where police seized drugs worth ₹3,000 crore, including the synthetic stimulant mephedrone, also known as “meow meow.” This raid coincided with his son’s wedding to the daughter of a former MLA from Uttar Pradesh’s Noida, held at a lavish farmhouse near Delhi’s airport. Following the police’s action, Basoya fled to Dubai and is believed to lead an international drug cartel.
Police believe that Tushar Goyal, another key figure in the current case, is closely associated with Basoya. Investigators suggest that Basoya may have recruited Goyal into the drug trade, offering lucrative payments for each delivery of large consignments. Singh, upon arriving in Delhi, stayed in a hotel in Panchsheel and met Goyal before heading to Ghaziabad to collect the drugs. The police have also identified a supplier in Mumbai who was set to contribute to the operation.
In addition, authorities are investigating possible links between Basoya and the notorious ‘D-Company,’ the crime syndicate run by India’s most wanted fugitive, Dawood Ibrahim.
This drug bust follows recent arrests by Delhi Police, including two Afghan nationals apprehended in Tilak Nagar, with heroin and cocaine recovered from them. Additionally, a passenger arriving from Liberia was arrested at the Delhi airport with 1.6 kg of cocaine valued at over ₹25 crore. Earlier in June, a 70-year-old Cameroonian national was arrested for smuggling cocaine worth ₹11 crore, hidden within his body.
Sources By Agencies
