New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Saturday that Indian agencies had seized the country’s first-ever consignment of Captagon, an amphetamine-based stimulant widely known as the “jihadi drug,” in a major narcotics operation linked to international trafficking networks. The seized consignment, valued at around ₹182 crore, was reportedly headed for the Middle East, Siasat reported.
The operation, carried out by the Narcotics Control Bureau, also resulted in the arrest of a foreign national. Shah described the seizure as a significant breakthrough in the Centre’s anti-drug campaign and reiterated the government’s commitment to its “Drug-Free India” agenda.
“Glad to share that through ‘Operation RAGEPILL’, our agencies have achieved the first-ever seizure of Captagon, the so-called ‘Jihadi Drug’, worth Rs 182 crore,” Shah wrote on X.
“The busting of the drug consignment destined for the Middle East and the arrest of a foreign national stand out as shining examples of our commitment to zero tolerance against drugs,” he wrote.
“I repeat we will clamp down on every gram of drugs entering India or leaving the country using our territory as the transit route. Kudos to the brave and vigilant warriors of the NCB,” Shah said.
Captagon has long been associated with armed militant groups operating in the Middle East. Originally developed in Germany during the 1960s as a treatment for attention disorders and sleep-related conditions, the drug was later banned internationally after authorities identified its highly addictive and dangerous effects.
The stimulant is known to increase alertness, suppress hunger and sleep, and create a sense of fearlessness and physical endurance. Reports from conflict zones have frequently linked its use to fighters involved in prolonged combat situations, as the drug can also reduce the sensation of pain.
International intelligence and security agencies have repeatedly linked the Captagon trade to militant organisations, including ISIS, which allegedly used the drug both among fighters and as a major source of funding for weapons procurement and recruitment activities.
With Syria believed to account for nearly 80 per cent of global Captagon production, the drug has emerged as a major security concern across Gulf countries. The seizure in India has now raised concerns that international trafficking syndicates may increasingly be using the country as a transit point for the Middle East drug trade.