NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday announced the first-ever seizure of Captagon, also known as the ‘Jihadi drug’, worth Rs 182 crore.In a post on X, Shah said the seizure was made under ‘Operation Ragepill’ and described it as a major breakthrough in the Centre’s crackdown on international drug trafficking networks.“Modi govt is resolved for a ‘Drug-Free India’. 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.He further said that the drug consignment was allegedly destined for the Middle East and that a foreign national had been arrested in connection with the case.“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 said.Shah reiterated the government’s tough stand against narcotics trafficking and warned that authorities would continue strict action against networks using India as a transit route.“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,” he added.Captagon is the street name historically associated with Fenethylline, a synthetic stimulant drug originally developed in the 1960s for treating attention disorders and narcolepsy. The pharmaceutical formulation was later banned internationally due to its addictive properties.According to officials, illicit Captagon tablets currently circulating in illegal markets are usually manufactured illegally and often contain amphetamine, caffeine, methamphetamine and other synthetic stimulants.The drug is widely abused in parts of West Asia and the Middle East because of its stimulant and euphoric effects, including heightened alertness, prolonged wakefulness, increased aggression and reduced fatigue.During the operation, 227.7 kg of Captagon tablets and powder worth Rs 182 crore were seized and a Syrian national linked to the syndicate was arrested. The NCB has also launched a detailed probe into the international drug trafficking network, including hawala links and logistics chains.
Why Captagon is called ‘Jihadi drug’?
Captagon has often been referred to as the ‘Jihadi drug’ due to allegations over the years linking its trafficking and consumption with extremist and conflict-zone networks operating in parts of West Asia. International agencies have identified the Captagon trade as one of the biggest emerging synthetic drug threats in the region.Officials said the drug’s low production cost and high illegal demand have made it a major source of illicit financing for organised criminal syndicates and extremist-linked networks.The announcement comes amid the Centre’s broader anti-drug crackdown. Earlier this year, notorious drug trafficker and Dawood Ibrahim aide Mohammad Salim Dola was extradited to India following a joint operation involving Indian agencies and Turkish authorities.
