Inter-state drug cartel busted

New Delhi: Delhi police busted an interstate drug cartel and recovered 5kg of fine quality heroin worth Rs 20 crore in the international market. Three key gang members were arrested during the raid.

Besides the heroin, several mobile handsets and SIM cards used in the drug trafficking activities were also recovered.

The accused have been identified as Shakeel (30) resident of Sahajhanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Irshad (29) resident of Badaun, UP and Jitender Yadav (23) of Jharkhand.

According to the police, information was received that an infamous drug cartel being run by Shakeel and Irshad, who supplied consignments of heroin in UP and Delhi-NCR. Shakeel and Irshad along with their other active associates procured contraband from the drug suppliers of Jharkhand and Manipur.

There are certain areas in Jharkhand, especially naxalite-hit areas around Chatra and the hilly terrains of Manipur where people cultivate opium illegally and process it into pure form of heroin and supply the same to Delhi and UP through carriers.

Shakeel, Irshad and others drug dealers procure heroin in its pure form from Manipur and Jharkhand. They also procure heroin in raw and crude form and process it at their secret hideouts at Bareilly among others.

Some of the keys members of this cartel, including Shakeel and Irshad and members of their Jharkhand and Manipur-based suppliers, were identified who ferry the drugs to Delhi-based drug traffickers, besides UP.

Specific information was received by the police that Shakeel, Irshad and Jitender would come Shalimar Bagh to supply a huge consignment of heroin to one of their receivers in Delhi.

“Following the tip-off, the police laid a trap for the trio. The gang members came to the rendezvous point and began to move when the receiver did not come, the police moved in and apprehended them. Search of the accused led to the recovery of 5kg of fine quality heroin,” DCP, special cell, Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said.

From January to May 15, 2018, special cell of Delhi police has so far recovered more than 58.5 kg of fine quality heroin worth more than Rs 234 crore in international market, apart from 45 kg of opium, 602 kg of cannabis.

The police in its tirade against drug suppliers had busted many narcotic drug cartels in the past and arrested several drug suppliers and recovered huge consignments of high-grade heroin, Mr Yadav said.