Delhi’s Rs 262 cr meth bust: The inside story of Op Crystal Fortress - ‘Brilliant’, says Amit Shah

Representative image

In a significant blow to a transnational narcotics network, a joint team from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Delhi Police Special Cell has confiscated 329 kilograms of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of Rs 262 crore.

The seizure, one of the largest of its kind in the capital, was made from a residential property in south Delhi’s affluent Chattarpur area on November 20, leading to two arrests.

The intelligence-driven mission, codenamed ‘Operation Crystal Fortress’, is believed to have disrupted a sophisticated syndicate with foreign links. According to a TOI report, the cartel is connected to a foreign-based kingpin who is also a suspect in last year’s seizure of 83 kg of cocaine in Delhi.

The operation culminated after months of meticulous surveillance and technical intelligence, which revealed a complex network using multiple couriers, safe houses and layered handlers. Investigators described the syndicate as a “well-oiled” operation that had established Delhi as a critical distribution hub for both domestic and international drug markets.

The breakthrough led investigators first to Shane Waris, a 25-year-old from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, who was apprehended in Noida’s Sector 5. Despite being employed as a sales manager, Waris allegedly operated under the direction of a handler, using fake SIM cards and encrypted messaging applications like WhatsApp and Zangi to conduct his activities discreetly.

As reported by TOI, Waris subsequently cooperated with authorities, providing crucial information that identified a key associate, Esther Kinimi from Nagaland. He supplied her address and contact details, revealing that she had recently managed a narcotics consignment transported via a logistics platform rider.

Acting swiftly on this intelligence, NCB personnel, with assistance from the Nagaland Police, raided Kinimi’s residence in Chattarpur Enclave Phase 2 on the same day. The raid resulted in the massive seizure and her subsequent arrest.

Preliminary investigations indicate the syndicate was part of a larger cartel. “The investigation indicates Waris was actively involved in a synthetic drug trafficking syndicate functioning under foreign operators,” an officer familiar with the case was quoted by TOI.

Praising the operation, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the Centre “is shattering drug cartels at an unprecedented pace.” He described ‘Operation Crystal Fortress’ as “a brilliant example of seamless multi-agency coordination to achieve PM Modi’s vision for a drug-free India.”

Authorities are now collaborating with international enforcement agencies to trace the network’s kingpin and secure his deportation to India to face legal proceedings. A full investigation to map the syndicate's complete supply chain, financial trail and logistics nodes remains underway as efforts continue to dismantle the network and curb its spread into overseas markets.