New Delhi, November 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Indian intelligence agencies have uncovered an alleged transnational narcotics network linking Mexican drug cartels, the Dawood Ibrahim syndicate and insurgent groups in Myanmar and India’s Northeast, with plans to use India as a base for drug production and smuggling, officials said.
An Intelligence Bureau official said traditional boundaries between these networks were changing, with groups increasingly exploring joint operations to evade enforcement agencies. “These cartels realise that it would be best to work as one rather than independently. They feel that functioning together would make the job of the Indian agencies harder,” the official said.
According to officials, Mexican cartels facing tighter US enforcement action are struggling to procure precursor chemicals such as pseudoephedrine, used in manufacturing methamphetamine. They are reportedly in contact with insurgent groups in Myanmar and India’s Northeast to source and smuggle these chemicals across India’s porous borders. The plan, officials said, is to produce narcotics in India for onward smuggling to the US and Europe.
The alleged network also involves the Dawood syndicate, with intelligence inputs pointing to links between Mexico’s Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and Haji Salim, who reportedly manages the syndicate’s South India operations.
Officials cited major drug seizures between 2024 and 2026 as setbacks for these networks. In November 2024, 6,016.87 kg of methamphetamine, valued at Rs 36,000 crore, was seized from a Myanmar boat in the Andaman Sea. The consignment was linked to CJNG, according to the report.
In May 2025, the Indian Coast Guard and Gujarat ATS seized 115 kg of cocaine worth Rs 1,150 crore off the Mundra coast. Investigators traced the shipment’s origin to South America. In September 2026, another 524 kg of methamphetamine, valued at Rs 3,000 crore, was seized in the Arabian Sea, around 160 nautical miles from Lakshadweep. Five Pakistani nationals allegedly linked to Haji Salim were arrested.
Officials said the seizures had caused significant losses to both the Dawood syndicate and Mexican cartels, prompting them to explore joint smuggling operations. They also warned that the networks could extend their activities to arms trafficking, with proceeds allegedly being channelled towards terror groups and insurgent outfits.
According to officials, the proposed nexus could provide insurgent groups in the Northeast with increased funding while making it more difficult for Indian agencies to disrupt the networks. They said the alleged links pose a wider challenge to India’s national security.
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