- By Supratik Das
- Tue, 25 Nov 2025 03:17 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Pawan Thakur arrest: In a major breakthrough for Indian drug enforcement agencies, Dubai authorities have arrested Pawan Thakur, a Dubai-based Indian national accused of orchestrating two of the country’s biggest narcotics consignments in recent years.
He is likely to be deported to India shortly, marking a crucial step in dismantling a transnational trafficking and money-laundering syndicate.
Key Accused In Billion Dollar Drug Racket
Thakur, who had been on the radar of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), was allegedly the mastermind behind the smuggling of nearly 82 kg of high-grade cocaine worth about Rs 2,500 crore, intercepted in Delhi in November 2024. The consignment, investigators said, was routed through an Indian port before being moved by road to a warehouse in the national capital.
He is also linked to the Rs 282-crore methamphetamine seizure made by the NCB in Delhi earlier this week. Officials described Thakur as the central figure coordinating both operations, operating from Dubai while relying on networks spread across India, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the UAE.
In September, the NCB, working with Interpol, issued a Silver Notice against him, enabling global agencies to trace his assets, business fronts, and financial operations. The ED, which is conducting a parallel money-laundering probe, has accused his syndicate of routing over ₹681 crore through fake import-export documentation, cryptocurrency channels, and shell firms.
Raids conducted earlier this year led to the freezing of 118 mule accounts and the seizure of documents linked to cross-border hawala transfers. Thakur had repeatedly ignored ED summons, prompting a Delhi court to issue a non-bailable warrant. He allegedly invested heavily in luxury real estate abroad, including a villa in Dubai Hills, and used high-value vehicles to maintain a low-profile yet mobile lifestyle.
From Local Hawala Operator To Global Trafficker
Officials cited by the NDTV said, Thakur began his career as a hawala operator in Delhi’s Kucha Mahajani market, later expanding his network and leveraging financial expertise to mask drug profits. After the major cocaine seizure and the arrest of his associates last year, Thakur and his family fled to Dubai, where he continued to run operations.
According to NCB’s chargesheet, Thakur arranged the import of cocaine through an Indian port, coordinated its movement to Delhi, and mediated between handlers to ensure seamless distribution. His associates, already arrested, handled storage and movement inside India. The agency has described him as a “fugitive and mastermind” with an entrenched network of financial conduits and associates who helped push narco-money into the formal financial system.
Officials said India’s request for his deportation has been processed swiftly owing to the seriousness of the charges and the international linkages of the case. Once brought back, he will face prosecution under multiple sections of the NDPS Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.