NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has frozen properties worth more than Rs 27 crore belonging to narcotics offenders over the past three years as part of its financial crackdown against drug cartels, an official said on Friday.
According to data, properties worth around Rs 38 lakh belonging to three offenders were frozen in 2023. The following year saw a sharp rise, with properties worth Rs 5 crore of 28 offenders being seized, out of which more than Rs 4.5 crore was frozen by the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of the Crime Branch.
In 2025, up to September 15, properties worth Rs 21.5 crore (Rs 17.5 crore by ANTF) linked to 30 offenders have been frozen. Financial investigations are also underway against 19 more offenders, involving assets worth over Rs 5 crore, a senior police official said.
“Delhi Police is committed to waging a war against narcotics and implementing a zero-tolerance policy towards drug-related crimes. Delhi Police is determined to eradicate drug trafficking from its roots, ensuring a safer and healthier society. To achieve this target, Delhi Police has done very significant work in the field of financial investigation under the NDPS Act,” Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Devesh Chandra Srivastva said.
The ANTF, as the nodal agency, has been leading efforts to integrate financial investigations into all major NDPS cases. The Crime Branch has institutionalised a dual approach: operational probes focus on arrests, seizures, and dismantling supply networks, while financial probes trace money trails, identify assets, and initiate forfeiture proceedings.
Srivastva added that specialised training is being imparted in forensic accounting, cyber-financial probes, and cryptocurrency tracing.