Operation Sagar Manthan: NCB targets 'lord of drugs’ Haji Salim in major crackdown

NEW DELHI: The Indian government has intensified its efforts to dismantle the international drug empire of Haji Salim, a notorious smuggler dubbed the "lord of drugs." Under the banner of 'Operation Sagar Manthan,' the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has launched a sweeping crackdown targeting Salim's vast trafficking syndicate, believed to span continents and destabilise the region. Acting on directives from Union home minister Amit Shah, authorities have seized nearly 4,000 kilograms of illicit drugs linked to Salim's operations. Arrests have also been made, including several Pakistani nationals associated with the syndicate. Global drug kingpinHaji Salim, also known as Haji Baloch, has been identified as a central figure in a massive drug smuggling network spanning India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and beyond. Deputy Director General of the NCB, Gyaneshwar Singh, described him as "one of the world’s biggest drug traffickers," orchestrating the movement of heroin, methamphetamine, and other narcotics through a sophisticated web of routes across Asia, Africa, and the West. Salim’s network reportedly funds narco-terrorism, exacerbating security concerns in the Indian Ocean region. Intelligence reports suggest close ties between Salim and fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, with evidence of their meetings in Karachi, Pakistan. Salim is also said to receive support from the ISI, including access to satellite phones to coordinate his sea-based smuggling operations. Marked shipments and synthetic drugsOne of the hallmarks of Salim’s operations is the use of distinctive markings on drug shipments, such as "777" or "flying horses." These shipments often originate from Iran and transit through Afghanistan and Malaysia before reaching Indian shores via smaller vessels at night. Salim’s syndicate has also shifted its focus to synthetic drugs like methamphetamine, driven by the Taliban’s restrictions on opium cultivation since 2021. Manufacturing methamphetamine, which yields higher profits and involves lower risks, has become a lucrative alternative. Indian agencies first uncovered Salim's involvement in 2015 when a massive drug consignment was intercepted off the Kerala coast. Subsequent operations have resulted in the seizure of drugs worth over Rs 40,000 crore in the past two and a half years, but Salim has evaded capture. He remains sheltered in Karachi.