Cocaine Cartel: Cocaine Cartel Busted: How Cops Uncovered a Drug Operation Using Encrypted Chats | Delhi News

NEW DELHI: Initial surveillance of a suspicious communication on the encrypted messaging app Threema revealed what appeared to be an innocent exchange between two music enthusiasts. Veeru, based in Dubai (+9715269***88), was discussing a British rock band with Jai in Mumbai.
However, as investigators probed deeper into the lives of Veeru and Jai, discrepancies emerged, unravelling a complex cocaine trafficking operation.The seemingly harmless conversation was actually a covert communication between two key players in an international narcotics network. Investigation exposed the duo’s involvement in a sophisticated cocaine smuggling ring, leveraging their apparent music fandom as a cover for making big bucks in the upcoming concerts.
The breakthrough came when the cops decided to track the ‘gifts’ that had arrived in Goa from Panama via a port near Dubai, according to their communications. The ‘gifts’ further arrived in UP (Hapur and Ghaziabad) and then to Delhi’s Mahipalpur in the last few weeks.
One of the Threema IDs ‘VJPU69**’ under scrutiny turned out to be of a Delhi-based entity which was in constant touch with another ID in the name of ‘Adam**’. As the delivery neared, the cops decided to act and busted the biggest-ever racket.

Sources said that even Special Cell’s sleuths were left flabbergasted at the volume of the drugs seized. They had initially gone with hand-held weighing machines, which could weigh a few kg of the drug at max.
The recovery is significant in many ways. “First, the seizure of cocaine on this scale marks the return of the ‘drug of the rich’ to the capital and indicates that the drug is back in demand in Delhi and Mumbai. Even now, cocaine is the most expensive drug available in the market,” explained an officer.
Cocaine is difficult to procure as the source, coca plant, is mainly cultivated in three Latin American countries—Peru, Bolivia and Colombia.
This particular consignment originated in Panama after being cultivated in Colombia. It travelled through Ethiopia to a part near Dubai before landing in Goa.
“The Panama route has become a critical conduit for cocaine shipments destined for Colombia and Peru, major cocaine producers, ship the drug to Panama via clandestine networks. Panama’s strategic location, connecting North and South America, facilitates the transfer of cocaine to Asian-bound vessels. Containers are often concealed among legitimate cargo, utilising Panama’s busy ports and free trade zones,” said an investigator.
Law enforcement agencies have reported increased cocaine seizures in Asia. “Cartels use sophisticated methods to evade detection, including concealing cocaine in cargo containers, encrypting communication networks and bribing officials to facilitate smooth passage,” special CP RP Upadhyay said, adding that international cooperation was crucial to combat cocaine trafficking.
“The drug’s immediate effects include euphoria, increased energy and enhanced focus, but prolonged use leads to addiction, respiratory problems, cardiovascular damage, neurological damage and increased risk of infections,” additional CP Pramod Kushwaha said.
A recent analysis of cocaine pricing reveals significant variations globally.”Purity and quality also impact pricing. High-purity cocaine commands premium prices, often 20-30% higher than lower-purity cocaine,” DCP Amit Kaushik said.
India has witnessed a significant surge in cocaine seizures in recent years.
Recently, at the Delhi airport, 6 kg of grade-A cocaine valued at Rs 100 crore was seized from a German national of Indian origin.
In 2022, the directorate of revenue intelligence recovered 56 kg of cocaine, valued at over Rs 500 crore, from a container near Mundra Port. Additionally, 50 kg of cocaine worth Rs 502 crore was seized at a port near Mumbai. The second largest seizure occurred in 2021, with 300 kg of cocaine worth Rs 2,000 crore seized at Tuticorin Port in Tamil Nadu. However,Wednesday’s seizure has emerged to be the hig hest ever.