Drugs trafficked through food delivery-style apps in Delhi; ₹100 cr drugs seized

The syndicate, which ran on an encrypted call-centre style network, was led by a Nigerian national identified as Callistus alias Kalis

In one of the biggest international drug busts in recent months, Delhi Police have seized narcotics worth ₹100 crore and arrested five foreign nationals linked to a Nigeria-based cartel that used encrypted apps and food delivery-style drop-offs to push drugs to young consumers in south Delhi.

The crackdown began last month when constable Hemant of the crime branch, acting on a specific tipoff, intercepted a suspicious courier parcel from a Moti Nagar facility. (HT Photo)

The syndicate, which ran on an encrypted call-centre style network, was led by a Nigerian national identified as Callistus alias Kalis. “Customers placed orders through encrypted WhatsApp calls to international numbers, deliveries were made by Nigerian nationals living in India, and money was laundered through a hawala-like network that bypassed formal banking channels. It was a complete corporate-style structure,” said Mangesh Kashyap, additional commissioner of police (crime branch).

The crackdown began last month when constable Hemant of the crime branch, acting on a specific tipoff, intercepted a suspicious courier parcel from a Moti Nagar facility. Hidden inside packages of Indian suits and shoes was nearly 900 grams of MDMA, meant for export. “This interception opened the lid on a sprawling international drug network stretching across Australia, the UK, Malaysia, Japan, and New Zealand,” said deputy commissioner of police (crime branch) Harsh Indora.

Police said Philipp revealed how the syndicate operated from Nigeria, issuing instructions to on-ground delivery agents via WhatsApp calls. The couriers — including Koulaie Philipp alias Tall Guy and Kelechi Chikwe alias Victor — wore distinctive clothing such as checked shirts and black helmets, and dropped off consignments at pre-determined locations without ever meeting the buyers. Tall Guy was arrested on June 29.

Victor, who entered India illegally in 2011, was arrested on July 10. Police said he rose from street-level peddler to area coordinator, maintained detailed ledgers of drug sales, and managed safe houses where narcotics were stored. From his residence in Kishangarh Village in Delhi, police recovered 185 grams of cocaine, ₹91,500 in cash, forged Aadhaar cards, and notebooks tracing drug sales back to 2019.

“The monthly sales from the Vasant Kunj belt alone fetched them over ₹1 crore,” said a senior police officer, part of the investigation.

Victor also led police to another peddler — a namesake — who was subsequently arrested.

Police said drug proceeds collected in India were converted into Nigerian currency (Naira) and deposited in overseas accounts. In return, the cartel arranged for equivalent payouts in rupees to relatives of Nigerians living in India, after charging a 3–5% commission. In the past six months alone, transactions worth over 85 crore Naira (approximately ₹76 crore) have been linked to this network.

“This was a completely insulated setup,” Indora said. “Each person only knew the link before and after them — delivery agents didn’t know who they were delivering to or receiving from. That way, even if they were caught, they couldn’t compromise the chain.”

All five accused are currently in judicial custody. Police said further arrests are likely as the investigation progresses.