Report: Manmeen Walia, New Delhi
In a major operation carried out in 2026, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) along with the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of Punjab Police took strong action against an international drug network.7
The NCB detained Sandeep Chattha, a notorious drug smuggler from Amritsar, Punjab, under preventive detention. He has been lodged in Burail Jail, Chandigarh.
Investigations have revealed that Sandeep Chattha is a close associate of Haji Yusuf, a key aide of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and Pakistan’s ISI. He is also linked to Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, a notorious gangster from North India and a close associate of Pakistan-based D-Company.
Sandeep Chattha’s drug links have further led agencies to Akshay Chhabra, one of India’s major drug mafia figures. Both Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Akshay Chhabra are currently lodged in a North East jail.
About Haji Yusuf
Haji Yusuf is an international drug smuggler who operates his syndicate from Pakistan and Dubai. Indian agencies have named him as the main accused in several high-profile drug trafficking cases.
According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and NCB, Haji Yusuf smuggled nearly 2,000 kilograms of heroin into India between 2020 and 2022, with an estimated value of ₹8,000 crore.
He worked closely with Akshay Chhabra of Ludhiana and several Afghan nationals. The drugs were mainly routed into India through Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi, and Gujarat’s Mundra Port.
Investigations revealed that the syndicate concealed drugs in shipments of pomegranate juice and tomato puree to evade detection.
