NEW DELHI: In one of the largest coordinated anti-crime drives in recent years, Delhi Police carried out a massive 48-hour crackdown across the national capital under “Operation Kavach 13.0”, leading to thousands of arrests and significant seizures of narcotics, illicit liquor, illegal arms and stolen vehicles.
The operation, conducted from 6 pm on March 29 to 6 pm on March 31, involved simultaneous raids at 3,211 locations across all 15 police districts. A total of 1,042 teams participated, including specialised units such as the Crime Branch and Special Cell.
During the drive, police registered 229 cases under the NDPS Act and arrested 267 persons, recovering 100 kg of ganja, 1.170 kg of cocaine, 260.65 grams of heroin, 179.11 grams of MDMA, 57 grams of amphetamine, along with Buprenorphine tablets, Pheniramine injections and Rs 16,070 in cash.
Under the Delhi Excise Act, 416 cases were registered and 429 individuals arrested. Police seized over 77,000 quarters of illicit liquor, besides bottles, beer cans and e-cigarettes.
In 254 Arms Act cases, 259 persons were arrested and weapons including pistols, country-made firearms, cartridges and knives were recovered.
Action under the Gambling Act resulted in 528 arrests in 296 cases, with Rs 10.28 lakh recovered. The operation also led to the arrest of 59 proclaimed offenders and 42 auto-lifters, with 73 stolen vehicles recovered.
Preventive policing formed a key component, with 1,374 persons arrested under BNSS provisions, 5,359 taken into preventive custody and over 41,000 detained under the Delhi Police Act. Authorities also seized 3,545 vehicles, checked 5,691 history-sheeters and prosecuted 7,971 violators under COTPA.
District-wise, Central Delhi deployed 110 teams, conducting 283 raids that led to 452 arrests and 1,930 preventive detentions, along with seizures of narcotics, illicit liquor and stolen vehicles.
In North-West Delhi, police arrested drug peddlers, bootleggers and arms offenders, while also recovering stolen vehicles and cash from gambling activities.
Shahdara Police conducted over 200 raids, registering multiple NDPS cases and recovering narcotics, illicit liquor, illegal weapons and stolen vehicles,
besides detaining more than 3,000 individuals under preventive provisions.
East Delhi Police carried out 79 raids, making over 180 arrests and seizing cocaine, MDMA, illicit liquor, firearms and cash linked to gambling.
Outer Delhi recorded 371 arrests and over 4,000 preventive detentions, along with large recoveries of illicit liquor and stolen vehicles.
In Dwarka, 64 teams conducted 93 raids, registering 76 FIRs and arresting 148 persons. Police seized narcotics, illicit liquor and weapons, and also solved a murder case during the operation.
Officials said the large-scale drive reflects Delhi Police’s zero-tolerance approach to narcotics and organised crime, aligned with the government’s vision of a “Nasha Mukt Bharat”.
They said Operation Kavach disrupted drug supply chains, forcing traffickers to shift operations outside Delhi.