New Delhi | December 23, 2025 | India has scored one of its biggest victories yet in the global war against narcotics trafficking. Ritik Bajaj, the alleged mastermind of a massive ₹13,000-crore international cocaine syndicate, has been brought back to India from the United Arab Emirates following a coordinated operation involving the CBI, Delhi Police, Interpol, and UAE authorities.
The high-profile fugitive landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport early Tuesday morning under heavy security. With his extradition, Indian agencies have finally cornered a key figure believed to be at the center of one of the largest drug trafficking networks ever uncovered in the country.
Bajaj, who had been on the run for months, will now be lodged in Tihar Jail, where investigators are preparing for an intensive round of interrogation.
Who Is Ritik Bajaj and Why Was He So Important?
According to investigative agencies, Ritik Bajaj was not a small-time trafficker but a strategic operator of an international narcotics syndicate with deep roots in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and India.
He allegedly handled:
- International drug procurement
- Cross-border logistics
- Money laundering operations
- Coordination between foreign suppliers and Indian distributors
The syndicate came under the scanner in October 2024, when Delhi Police’s Special Cell seized over 560 kg of cocaine and hydroponic marijuana from multiple locations including Mahipalpur and Ramesh Nagar. The seized consignment was valued at nearly ₹13,000 crore in the international market.
Investigators later identified Bajaj as the central link connecting overseas suppliers with Indian distributors.
A Network Operating From Bangkok to Dubai
Officials say Bajaj operated primarily from Bangkok and Phuket, living a lavish lifestyle while managing operations remotely using encrypted messaging platforms.
Luxury hotels, high-end apartments, and shell companies were allegedly used to move money and avoid detection. His close associates included Mayank Jain and Tushar Goyal, both of whom have already been arrested in India.
While his associates handled domestic distribution, Bajaj allegedly oversaw:
International shipping routes
Financial transactions via hawala networks
Coordination with foreign drug suppliers
Red Corner Notice and Global Hunt
Once Delhi Police filed a chargesheet, Bajaj fled India. In response, the CBI issued an Interpol Red Corner Notice on October 9, 2025, triggering an international manhunt.
Following the alert, law enforcement agencies across Southeast Asia and the Middle East were placed on standby. Intelligence inputs later revealed that Bajaj had moved from Thailand to Dubai, possibly to set up a new base.
That move proved fatal to his plans.
How Operation ‘All Out’ Was Executed
A joint strategy involving the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs, CBI, and UAE authorities was put in place. Once Bajaj landed in Dubai, local police detained him based on the Interpol alert.
After completing legal formalities and securing extradition clearance, a special Indian team escorted him back to New Delhi under tight security.
Officials described the operation as “flawless coordination across borders.”
Probe into Narco-Terror Links Underway
Investigators now suspect that the proceeds from the drug trade were not limited to personal wealth.
“There are strong indications that drug money was being routed into shell companies and possibly used for anti-national and terror-related activities,” a senior official said.
Financial trails involving offshore accounts, cryptocurrency transactions, and hawala networks are currently under scrutiny.
Authorities believe Bajaj’s interrogation could expose:
- High-profile financial facilitators
- International drug suppliers
- Political and business links
- Cross-border money laundering channels
Now Behind Bars, But the Story Isn’t Over
Ritik Bajaj will be produced before a Delhi court, where police are expected to seek his extended custody for questioning. Investigators believe his arrest could unravel India’s largest narcotics network to date.
Officials say his capture sends a clear message:
“No criminal is beyond the reach of Indian law — not even those hiding across oceans.”
As agencies prepare for the next phase of investigation, all eyes remain on what secrets the alleged drug lord may reveal in the days ahead.
