3 Afghans held for smuggling heroin worth Rs 1.8 crore: NCB

Three Afghan nationals have been arrested by the NCB for allegedly smuggling in heroin worth Rs 1.8 crore by ingesting over 200 drug-filled capsules, a senior official said on Friday.

The men, Niamatullah Khaksar, Gul Ahmad and Sayed Mahmood Qitali, were intercepted by the sleuths of the central anti-narcotics agency after they landed at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport early this month from Kabul.

Ahmad is alleged to have ingested the maximum 100 capsules of heroin that weighed 685 grams.

"A total of 220 capsules containing over 1.8 kg of high grade heroin was recovered from the three Afghan nationals. They were kept under medical supervision after which the capsules were extracted," Narcotics Control Bureau Delhi zonal director K P S Malhotra said.

The estimated value of the drug is about Rs 1.8 crore, another official of the agency said.

"The modus operandi of concealment by ingesting drug filled capsules is a commonly used method to traffic narcotic drugs into India. These carriers are known as 'drug mules' in the narco parlance," Malhotra said.

The NCB is now working to reach the Afghanistan-based sender and Delhi-based receiver of the consignment, he said.

NCB, the second official said, is looking at the involvement of other Afghan nationals already on medical tourist visa to India as part of the investigation in the case.