New Delhi: In what could be said, one of the biggest narcotics haul in national capital, the Special Cell of Delhi police has busted an international drug cartel with the arrest of five persons, including two Afghan nationals and recovered 150 kg of heroin valuing Rs 600 crore.
The accused have been identified as Shinwari Rehmat Gul (30), an Afghan national and he has been a regular visitor to India, Akhtar Mohammad Shinwari (31), Afghan national, Vakeel Ahmed (36), Raees Khan (43) and Dheeraj alias Deepak (21).
“Gul has long experience in working in Afghan heroin industry and was specially sent to India by the syndicate to handhold the operations of this newly established unit at Zakir Nagar. Akhtar has been sent by the syndicate to assist Gul in setting up the operations of the Zakir Nagar unit.
Vakeel and Raees were working for the syndicate in delivery of consignments and Dheeraj was an expert driver, who works for the syndicate for transporting processed heroin to various places in Punjab and other States,” said Manishi Chandra, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), Special Cell.
The police had received specific inputs on July 17 that smuggling of a large quantity of contraband was expected to take place and the convoy would assemble at a location in Lajpat Nagar, said the DCP.
“Acting on the inputs, several police teams were assembled and put into action. Further, input was received about the possible arrival of the convoy near Ashram flyover. A trap was laid and at around midnight hours, two persons, Dheeraj and Raees travelling in two separate cars, were apprehended,” said the DCP.
On a careful search of their respective vehicles, a total of 60 Kg (30 Kg in each car) fine quality contraband, suspected to be heroin, parcelled in packets weighing approximately 1 Kg each, was found concealed inside an especially created cavity between the backseat and boot space of each of the two cars, said the DCP.
On their instance, a raid was also conducted at a location in Zakir Nagar area of south east Delhi, from where an industrial set up in the making was busted. From this site, two Afghan nationals, found to be chemical and mechanical experts, were apprehended, said the DCP.
From this site, a total of another 60 kg of processed Afghan heroin was recovered. Apart from the Afghan nationals, another accused Vakeel, was found who had just finished loading his car with contraband.
This heroin was also concealed in the similarly crafted cavity as in the earlier intercepted two vehicles. Another 30 kg of heroin was seized from this car, taking the total seizure to 150 kg, said the DCP.
