Four held with heroin worth Rs 16 crore in Delhi

Four members of an inter-state drug cartel have been arrested for trafficking a consignment of 4 kg heroin, valued at Rs 16 crore in the international market, police said on Monday.

Kingpin of the racket Samir malik, 33, was arrested on Sunday from West Bengal while his associates Ganesh Haldhar, 30, Manik Biswas, 27, and Johri, 28, were nabbed on a tip-off from Gokulpuri area in east Delhi on June 23 while exchanging a consignment of 4 kg heroin under a flyover.

"Five mobiles with multiple SIM cards used in drug trafficking have also been seized with the heroin valued at more than Rs 16 crore in the international market," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Yadav said.

The officer said that Samir, who has been involved in the trade for the last 10 years, used to procure heroin from a drug supplier, Risawul, of Malda in West Bengal.

"The heroin was brought from West Bengal to Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh) and Delhi. Heroin brought from Malda is rich in large illegal cultivation of opium. This illicit opium is used to prepare heroin which is being pushed further in north India."

Haldhar and Biswas disclosed to police that they were lured into the business by their distant relative Samir.

"They used to transport heroin through a secret cavity created at the bottom of their bag. The money was usually paid within few hours of delivery of the consignment," the officer said.

Johri, a resident of Bareilly, told police that due to his severe poverty he was lured to start drug trafficking.

"Three years ago, Johri used to sell heroin in local markets of Uttar Pradesh, thereon he developed his inter-state network and started supplying heroin to bigger drug peddlers in Delhi-NCR region," the officer said.

Johri told police that most of the deals took place through phone calls and he never tried to enquire more about his "customers".

"In last couple of years, the demand for fine quality heroin has gone up steeply in Delhi-NCR as there is a good customer base who are ready to pay for the contraband," said the officer citing Johri's statement.

--IANS

rak/lok/vt