In a major crackdown on transnational narcotics trafficking, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has seized nearly 228 kg of Captagon — the notorious amphetamine popularly dubbed the “jihadi drug” — with an estimated international market value of Rs 182 crore, in what officials described as India’s first-ever seizure of the banned substance.The operation, codenamed Operation Ragepill, exposed an alleged Syria-linked drug trafficking network that was using India as a transit hub to smuggle Captagon consignments to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.The NCB said the operation began following intelligence inputs from a foreign drug law enforcement agency indicating that international syndicates were routing Captagon shipments through India.Acting on the inputs, officials raided a rented house in Delhi’s Neb Sarai area on May 11 and recovered around 31.5 kg of Captagon tablets concealed inside a commercial chapati-cutting machine allegedly meant for export to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Investigators arrested a Syrian national who had allegedly entered India on a tourist visa in November 2024 but continued to stay illegally after his visa expired in January this year.Further interrogation led investigators to a container at Mundra’s Container Freight Station in Gujarat, where officials seized another 196.2 kg of Captagon powder hidden inside bags concealed within a consignment of sheep wool imported from Syria. Officials said preliminary investigations suggested the consignment was intended for transshipment to Gulf nations, particularly Saudi Arabia, where Captagon abuse had emerged as a major law enforcement and public health challenge.Announcing the breakthrough on X, Home Minister Amit Shah said the seizure reflected Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s zero-tolerance approach towards narcotics trafficking. “Glad to share that through ‘Operation Ragepill, our agencies have achieved the first-ever seizure of Captagon, the so-called ‘jihadi drug’, worth ₹182 crore,” Shah posted.He described the operation as a “shining example” of the government’s crackdown on international drug syndicates and warned that agencies would continue to act against networks using India as a trafficking corridor. “I repeat we will clamp down on every gram of drugs entering India or leaving the country using our territory as the transit route,” Shah said.Captagon, a banned amphetamine-type stimulant, has gained notoriety across conflict-ridden parts of West Asia, where it has frequently been linked to militant groups, armed networks and organised crime syndicates. The drug has become a key component of the illegal narco-economy in the region.It earned its nickname “jihadi drug” due to its heavy use by militant and extremist fighters who rely on it for prolonged wakefulness, battlefield courage and a sense of invincibility.The officials said the seizure also pointed to a growing trend of international cartels exploiting commercial cargo routes and containerised trade channels to traffic narcotics across regions. The development comes close on the heels of another major NCB interdiction in Mumbai involving 349 kg of cocaine concealed inside a container originating from Ecuador.The NCB said investigations were underway to trace the financial, hawala and logistics networks linked to the syndicate, identify overseas receivers and uncover the wider transnational cartel operating across jurisdictions.The agency said the operation underscored the importance of international intelligence-sharing and coordinated global enforcement efforts against narco-terror and organised drug trafficking networks.