The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has issued an international Silver Notice against Dubai-based trafficker Pawan Thakur, marking a first-of-its-kind move by Indian authorities. Thakur is accused of orchestrating one of the country’s largest cocaine seizures, involving nearly 82 kilograms of high-grade cocaine worth about Rs 2,500 crore, according to a report by NDTV.
The drugs were intercepted in November 2024 at a warehouse in Delhi’s Nangloi area. Investigators revealed that the consignment, shipped from Mexico, was routed through an Indian port and transported by truck to the capital. The cocaine was allegedly intended for further smuggling to Australia.
International crackdown on assets
For the first time, India has used Interpol’s Silver Notice to target a trafficker abroad. The notice allows global agencies to trace financial networks, shell companies and illegal assets across countries.
The NCB has already alerted authorities in the UAE, Singapore, Hong Kong and several European nations, where Thakur is believed to have invested heavily in real estate and businesses, the report mentioned.
Investigators told NDTV Thakur began his career as a hawala operator in Delhi’s Kucha Mahajani market before expanding into narcotics. His financial skills allegedly helped him build a vast network involving hawala transactions, cryptocurrencies and shell firms spread across India, China, Singapore, Hong Kong and the UAE.
Parallel ED probe reveals money laundering
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing the financial angle, found that Thakur’s syndicate laundered more than Rs 681 crore through fake import-export records, crypto transfers and falsified accounts. Despite repeated summons, Thakur avoided questioning, leading to a non-bailable warrant from Delhi’s Patiala House Court, as per the report.
Shortly after the Delhi cocaine bust, Thakur fled India with his family and settled in Dubai. He has since acquired multiple luxury properties, including a villa in Dubai Hills, and owns a fleet of high-end cars while continuing to run his narcotics and money laundering empire, the publication stated citing sources.
Associates in custody
Following the November 2024 raid, five of Thakur’s associates were arrested in Delhi. The seizure was seen as a major success for NCB, which has been intensifying its crackdown on international cartels.