46 minutes agoCrime
45LENS
4 SourcesNew Delhi, India
thebalanced.newsNCB Launches Operation WIPE to Target Illegal Online Sale of Regulated Drugs
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has launched 'Operation WIPE' (Web-based Illicit Activities Prevention Enforcement) to combat illegal online sale and distribution of pharmaceutical drugs regulated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. The operation identified 122 instances involving 62 substances, including Clonazepam, Diazepam, and Fentanyl. Formal notices were issued to online platforms like India MART and Tradeindia to remove flagged listings and suspend suspicious vendors. This initiative builds on the success of Operation MED-MAX, which dismantled a transnational drug trafficking network with international cooperation.
Political Bias
0%100%0%
Sentiment
66%
AI Analysis
Political bias across 4 sources
● Left 0%● Center 100%● Right 0%
The articles primarily present the NCB's official perspective on the launch of Operation WIPE, focusing on law enforcement efforts against online drug trafficking. Coverage is largely factual and institutional, with no evident political framing or partisan viewpoints. The narrative emphasizes cooperation with international agencies and regulatory compliance, reflecting a consensus on the importance of combating illicit drug sales without political controversy.
Sentiment — Positive (66/100)
The overall tone across the articles is neutral to cautiously positive, highlighting proactive enforcement measures and international collaboration. The coverage underscores the seriousness of online drug trafficking while focusing on operational successes and preventive strategies. There is no sensationalism or negative portrayal; instead, the sentiment conveys a constructive approach to addressing the issue.
How 4 sources covered this story
Each source's own headline, political lean, and sentiment — so you can see framing differences at a glance.
| Source | Their headline | Bias | Sentiment |
|---|---|---|---|
| thetelegraph | NCB launches 'Operation WIPE' to curb illegal online sale of pharma drugs | Center | Neutral |
| news18 | NCB launches "Operation WIPE" to curb online drug trafficking networks | Center | Positive |
| thetribune | NCB launches Operation WIPE to target online drug trafficking - The Tribune | Center | Neutral |
| news18 | NCB launches 'WIPE' to check illegal online sale of regulated drugs | Center | Neutral |
Coverage timeline
news18 broke this story on 26 Apr, 03:17 pm. Other outlets followed.
- 1news1826 Apr, 03:17 pmNCB launches 'WIPE' to check illegal online sale of regulated drugs
- 2thetribune26 Apr, 03:17 pmNCB launches Operation WIPE to target online drug trafficking - The Tribune
- 3news1826 Apr, 04:40 pmNCB launches "Operation WIPE" to curb online drug trafficking networks
- 4thetelegraph26 Apr, 04:52 pmNCB launches 'Operation WIPE' to curb illegal online sale of pharma drugs
Lens Score breakdown
45/100
Public interest0/100
Coverage gap100%
Story is receiving appropriate media attention relative to public interest.
Accountability flags
TBN's analysis identified the following accountability dimensions in this story.
- public safety issue
This story involves a risk to public safety — infrastructure failure, regulatory lapse, hazardous conditions, or emergency mishandling.
Who's involved
Institutions and figures named across source coverage.
Government
US DEAAustralian Federal PoliceInternational Narcotics Control BoardNarcotics Control Bureau
Corporate
India MARTPayPalDial4TradeTradeindia
Enforcement
Australian Federal PoliceUS DEANarcotics Control Bureau
Story context
- Category
- Crime
- Location
- New Delhi, India
- Sources analysed
- 4
- Last analysed
- 26 Apr 2026
- Key entities
- Narcotics Control BureauIllegal drug tradeMedicationClonazepamDiazepamFentanylDrug Enforcement AdministrationIndiaAustralian Federal PoliceSeizureCryptocurrencyTramadol
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