NCB seized 227.7 kg of Captagon worth Rs 182 crore in Delhi and Gujarat under Operation RAGEPILL and arrested an overstaying Syrian national.
New Delhi, May 16: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has seized around 227.7 kilograms of Captagon tablets and powder worth an estimated Rs 182 crore in an international anti-drug operation that led to the arrest of an overstaying Syrian national.
The operation, named “Operation RAGEPILL”, is being described as India’s first-ever seizure of Captagon, a synthetic drug widely abused in parts of the Middle East. Officials said the operation exposed attempts by international drug syndicates to use India as a transit route for trafficking narcotics to Gulf countries.
According to the NCB, Captagon mainly contains Fenetylline and Amphetamine, both psychotropic substances regulated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated the NCB officials for carrying out the operation successfully and reiterated the government’s commitment towards a “Drug-Free India”.
In a statement posted on X, Shah said the seizure and arrest demonstrated India’s zero-tolerance policy against drug trafficking and narcotics-related crimes.
The investigation began after information was received from a foreign drug law enforcement agency indicating that India was being used as a transit point for trafficking Captagon.
Based on the intelligence input, NCB officials identified a rented house in Neb Sarai area of New Delhi. A search conducted on May 11 led to the recovery of around 31.5 kilograms of Captagon tablets concealed inside a commercial chapati cutting machine.
Preliminary investigation suggested that the consignment was intended for export to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
The arrested accused, a Syrian national, had reportedly entered India on a tourist visa on November 15, 2024. Officials said his visa expired on January 12, 2025, after which he continued to stay illegally in the country.
Further interrogation of the accused led investigators to a container at the Container Facilitation Station (CFS) in Mundra, Gujarat. During a search conducted on May 14, officials recovered approximately 196.2 kilograms of Captagon powder concealed inside bags in a shipment declared as sheep wool imported from Syria.
The NCB said preliminary findings indicated that the consignment was meant for transshipment to Saudi Arabia and neighbouring Middle Eastern countries, where abuse of Captagon has emerged as a major concern for law enforcement agencies.
Officials stated that the total quantity seized during Operation RAGEPILL amounted to around 227.7 kilograms, with an estimated illegal international market value of Rs 182 crore.
