CHENNAI: In a significant crackdown on an interstate narcotics network, the Tiruvallur district police have apprehended a 43-year-old Senegalese national, identified as Bende, who is alleged to be the mastermind of a major synthetic drug cartel.

The accused was arrested from a hideout in Delhi following a ten-day surveillance operation. He was subsequently brought to Tiruvallur on a transit warrant on Thursday. Police officials confirmed the seizure of multiple mobile phones from his possession, which contained critical data on extensive drug distribution networks spanning Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and the Northeast.

The investigation was initiated on October 14 after the Manavalanagar police in Tiruvallur district nabbed two men with 55 grams of methamphetamine. Interrogation and follow-up leads proved crucial, leading to the arrest of a key link in the chain on October 23: a 22-year-old Chennai-based dance studio owner and Instagram influencer, Sibiraj, who was found in possession of 54 grams of the same drug.

Further probes uncovered a sophisticated operation run by Bende. The cartel allegedly used encrypted internet applications for communication and managed a web of bank accounts spread across West Bengal, Nagaland, and Mizoram to handle transactions. The gang employed a discreet drop-off system, sharing GPS coordinates with buyers for pick-ups to avoid direct contact.

So far, the police have arrested ten other individuals in connection with the racket, including two foreign nationals from Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The gang is reported to have used duplicate identities and front businesses to conceal their illicit activities.