Delhi Police have arrested a 48-year-old man, Sanjay Kumar Pandey, from Mehram Nagar, Southwest Delhi, for storing and supplying banned pharmaceutical drugs and prohibited foreign cigarettes. The arrest uncovers an international drug and smuggling ring allegedly linked to his absconding brother based in Dubai.

Key highlights

Massive seizure of banned drugs and foreign cigarettes

• 83,090 tablets of Alprazolam and Zolpidem (1mg each) were seized.

• Over 26,000 packets of imported foreign cigarettes without health warnings or MRP, violating the COTPA Act, were recovered.

International smuggling network busted

• The racket used spice and clothing boxes to conceal contraband sent via air cargo to Dubai, Australia, and the USA.

• The operation was controlled by Pramod Pandey, Sanjay’s elder brother, operating from Dubai using social media apps for communication.

Criminal history and repeat offences

• Sanjay was previously arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in 2011 for similar offences in Delhi.

• He later operated from Mumbai, and resumed the illegal business in 2025 with help from Pramod and another associate Joginder.

No licenses or medical prescriptions found

• The accused admitted to not holding any valid licenses for the import, storage, or sale of the drugs.

• The cargo business in Delhi was used as a front to launder and smuggle the narcotic substances and cigarettes.

The Delhi Police’s operation has uncovered a large-scale pharma smuggling racket with global links and repeat offenders. The seizure of banned medicines and unregulated foreign cigarettes once again highlights the urgent need for stricter surveillance across cargo networks and tougher enforcement on pharma and tobacco black markets.