In a major breakthrough against organised drug trafficking, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested Danish Chikna, a close aide of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, from Goa, officials confirmed on Wednesday. Danish, also known as Danish Merchant, has been described as the “kingpin” of a drug syndicate operating across India.
According to officials, Danish had been on the run for several months, managing the operations of a narcotics network linked to Dawood’s gang. Alongside him, the NCB has also arrested three others and seized 1.341 kg of mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant banned under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Drug bust began with Pune interception
The operation began on September 18, when NCB Mumbai intercepted a suspect in Pune based on intelligence inputs. The search led to the seizure of 502 gm of mephedrone.
In a follow-up action, officers recovered another 839 gm of the same substance from a Mumbai residence linked to Danish and his wife. This raid exposed the couple’s deeper involvement in the drug trade and set off a multi-state manhunt to locate them.
Arrest in Goa resort after extensive tracking
Officials revealed that Danish and his wife had been frequently changing locations across states to evade detection. After weeks of surveillance and coordination among state agencies, the couple was tracked down to a holiday resort in Goa, where they were apprehended on October 25.
Both were arrested after interrogation, the NCB said in its statement. The agency described Danish as the main operator and financier in the syndicate, overseeing supply chains and distribution networks.
Multiple cases under NDPS Act and criminal charges
Authorities confirmed that Danish is a repeat offender with multiple drug-related cases. The NCB and Rajasthan Police had earlier registered three NDPS cases against him, while the Mumbai Police had booked him in seven criminal cases.
He was also externed from Mumbai, meaning he was legally barred from entering the city’s municipal limits, but continued to manage operations through proxies, officials said.
NCB’s intensified crackdown
The arrest marks another success in the NCB’s ongoing nationwide crackdown on narcotics networks with international links. Officials believe dismantling Danish’s network will significantly weaken Dawood’s drug operations in western India.
The seized 1.341 kg of mephedrone has an estimated street value of over ₹2 crore, the agency said. Further investigations are underway to trace financial transactions and accomplices associated with the syndicate.