Anti-narcotics agency launches ops to bust cartel of Pak-based ‘lord of drugs’

The government has launched a massive operation, “Operation Sagar Manthan,” to uproot the large-scale narcotics empire of wanted smuggler Haji Salim, also known as “Lord of Drugs.” The orders to initiate the hunt came directly from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, according to the officials.
Under the operations, the authorities have so far confiscated 4,000 kilograms of narcotics associated with Salim’s trafficking syndicate, with many Pakistani nationals arrested in connection with the case.
These drugs were sent to India at the behest of Pakistan’s intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Apart from the ISI, Haji Salim is also linked to the underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. His name had previously surfaced in a multi-crore drug case.
Saleem is connected to the heroin trade in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He is said to manage Dawood Ibrahim’s international drug operations from Pakistan.
He is under investigation by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in India and law enforcement agencies in multiple countries, including Mauritius, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Authorities have intercepted several of his drug consignments, which are often sent via sea routes.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Deputy Director General of Narcotics Control Bureau, Gyaneshwar Singh, said, “Haji Salim is one of the biggest drug traffickers in the world, who supplies large shipments of heroin, methamphetamine, and other illegal narcotics through a complex network that spans across Asia, Africa, and the West. He has a very big network. He has been on our radar for a long time, but in this case, I would not like to comment on Haji Salim’s name or anyone else’s name because the investigation is still at a very initial stage.”
“He is one of the most wanted drug kingpins in the Indian Ocean region. His operations are vast, and the scale of his trafficking syndicate is unparalleled,” he said.
“Salim’s network is linked to narco-terrorism activities that destabilise the region. His drugs are not only a menace to society but also fund terror operations across borders,” added Singh.