Fugitive drug kingpin Virendra Singh Basoya returns to India from UAE

August 14, 2026

New Delhi: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has successfully brought back alleged drug kingpin Virendra Singh Basoya from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to India. Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced this on Friday, calling it a new major achievement in the government’s “zero tolerance” policy against drugs.

Amit Shah stated on the social media platform X that the Modi government is continuously taking action against drug smugglers hiding abroad and that agencies are working to dismantle their entire network. He said that drug smugglers, no matter where in the world they hide, cannot escape the reach of Indian law.

Modi govt is relentlessly tracking down drug traffickers hiding abroad and destroying their entire ecosystem with a ruthless approach.

Creating a new milestone in the policy of zero tolerance against narcotics, the NCB secured the return of fugitive drug kingpin Virender Singh…

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) August 14, 2026

3-Year Plan to Dismantle Drug Networks

Virendra Singh Basoya is accused of operating an international drug syndicate. His return to India comes at a time when the central government is launching a massive campaign to dismantle the entire drug trafficking network in the country.

In June, Amit Shah released the “Vision Document on Drug Control (2026-2029)” and the NCB’s Annual Report 2025. This three-year plan involves more than 40 ministries and departments. Its objective is to work on intelligence, prevention, and rehabilitation, along with action against drug trafficking.

The government is also reviewing the shortcomings of the NDPS Act. The classification of precursor chemicals and psychotropic substances used in drug manufacturing is also being examined.

Actions under “Operation Global-Hunt”

Earlier in April, the NCB also brought alleged international drug kingpin Mohammed Salim Dola back to India from Turkey.

Dola is accused of having links to the Dawood Ibrahim syndicate. He was detained in Turkey and deported to India on April 28, 2026. The NCB took him into custody upon his arrival at Delhi’s IGI Airport.

The objective of these actions of NCB is to bring drug smugglers hiding abroad to India and completely destroy their international network.