Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi
Udupi, July 3: What appeared to be a modest call centre in the coastal town of Udupi turned out to be the front of a sprawling international drug trafficking network.
Operated by a man from Tamil Nadu, the Udupi-based centre coordinated narcotics orders from abroad and supplied them via Delhi, with the operation extending its tentacles across India and more than 10 countries worldwide.
Representational image
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in a month-long investigation, unearthed this sophisticated syndicate that used modern tools like cryptocurrency payments and anonymous drop-shipping methods to carry out illegal narcotics trade on a global scale.
The man who ran the call centre had hired around 10 employees to handle demand from various countries, routing drug consignments through Delhi. The kingpin, however, is believed to be operating out of Delhi, orchestrating the logistics and international supply chain.
Multi-city operation, global reach
The racket, with connections across Delhi, Jaipur, Udupi, and Roorkee, was supplying drugs to clients across four continents, including countries in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
The NCB arrested eight individuals as part of this multi-city crackdown and seized a significant quantity of narcotic substances. The coordinated operation marks one of the biggest recent busts of a tech-enabled drug trafficking network in India.
Central government responds
Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the effort on social media, applauding the NCB and collaborating agencies for cracking down on this international cartel. "Under PM Modi’s leadership, the government is committed to dismantling every drug trafficking network and protecting the youth from falling prey to it," he tweeted.
Following leads from India, law enforcement agencies in the US and Australia have initiated action against international links to the network.
Udupi SP confirms local link
According to a statement from the Udupi superintendent of police’s office, the accused had set up the call centre in Udupi to gather international orders using online ads and shared phone contacts. Once orders were confirmed, the drugs were shipped through Delhi to clients abroad.
The call centre operator was arrested a month ago during an NCB operation. Investigations into the larger network, including the Delhi-based mastermind, are ongoing.