The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested three more persons, including two Afghan nationals, in connection with the seizure of 50 kg of heroin and 47 kg of suspected narcotic substance powder from a house in Delhi's Shaheen Bagh on Wednesday.
Based on the intelligence inputs, the accused were arrested from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The agency has taken them into custody for interrogation.
The NCB had earlier arrested one person from Shaheen Bagh on the charge of being part of an international drug smuggling racket, following the seizure of the drugs. The agency also found ₹30 lakh in cash and a cash-counting machine from the premises of the accused.
“The contraband was stored in travel bags and jute sacks. The seized heroin originated from Afghanistan,” NCB Deputy Director General (Ops) Sanjay Kumar Singh said. The agency has reasons to believe that the drug money was being routed through the “hawala” channels.
The NCB found that the heroin had been stuffed in packets bearing the logo of a popular e-commerce company to evade detection.
The agency had earlier received inputs that a syndicate comprising Indian and Afghan nationals was operating in and around Delhi or neighbouring States. Such groups smuggle heroin concealed in legitimate goods “imported” via maritime and land routes from different countries. They often adulterate the drugs with other chemicals to increase the quantity for distribution among local clients.
“Several raids were conducted and are still going on to bust the entire network. The syndicate was found to be connected with drug traffickers of the entire north region including Punjab, Haryana, U.P., Uttarakhand and Delhi,” Mr. Singh said.
