Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Modi government was “relentlessly tracking down drug traffickers hiding abroad” as the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) secured the return to India of wanted fugitive drug trafficker Virender Singh Basoya from the United Arab Emirates.
Basoya, also known as Viru and Basoya, was taken into custody after arriving at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi early Friday.
He had been arrested in the UAE in June 2026 following an INTERPOL Red Notice issued at the request of the NCB. His return was secured through sustained coordination between Indian agencies and UAE authorities.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the action marked a significant step in the government’s policy of zero tolerance against narcotics.
In a post on X, the Home Minister said the government was pursuing drug traffickers operating from abroad and working to dismantle their wider networks. He said the operation demonstrated that drug traffickers could not evade Indian law by operating from foreign jurisdictions.
The case against Basoya originated in Pune in February 2024, when the Pune City Police seized 500 grams of Mephedrone. The investigation was subsequently expanded to trace the wider trafficking network.
The probe and follow-up operations led to the recovery of approximately 867 kg of Mephedrone in Pune and 970 kg in Delhi, taking the total seizure to around 1,837 kg.
The case was later transferred to the NCB’s Mumbai Zonal Unit for further investigation.
According to the NCB, Basoya was identified as a key overseas operative and alleged conspirator who coordinated the activities of the syndicate from abroad and facilitated the export of Mephedrone consignments from India to other countries.
The agency said a major consignment of around 970 kg of Mephedrone recovered in Delhi was allegedly linked to preparations for export through courier channels associated with Basoya.
His alleged role, the NCB said, connected the domestic manufacturing and trafficking network with its overseas distribution channels.
Basoya also figures in a separate Delhi Police Special Cell case relating to international cocaine trafficking.
In October 2024, the Special Cell busted a major drug trafficking cartel following coordinated operations at locations in Delhi, Hapur and Ghaziabad and a factory in Ankleshwar, Gujarat. The operations resulted in the recovery of more than 1,300 kg of cocaine, Mephedrone and hydroponic weed.
The investigation into that cartel also revealed Basoya’s alleged involvement in coordinating the procurement, transportation, storage and distribution of cocaine and other narcotics.
The NCB said the action is part of Operation GLOBAL-HUNT, launched to identify, locate and pursue major narcotics traffickers and fugitives operating from overseas jurisdictions. The initiative relies on international cooperation mechanisms, including INTERPOL Red Notices, and coordination with law enforcement agencies in India and other countries.
The agency cited the earlier return of wanted drug traffickers, including Mohammad Salim Dola from Türkiye and Navin Chichkar from Malaysia, as other significant successes under the operation.
The NCB said bringing fugitives back to India to face legal proceedings is also part of the Vision Document on Drug Control (2026-2029).
It said efforts would continue to identify, locate and bring back other major narcotics fugitives operating from abroad, while pursuing drug kingpins, financiers, handlers and traffickers in coordination with national and international agencies.
