Heroin worth Rs 15 crore seized; 2 nabbed

Two suspected members of an international drug cartel, including an Ivory Coast national, have been arrested in Delhi and heroin worth Rs 15 crore has been seized, police said on Tuesday.

Acting on a tip-off, a 26-year-old person named Sidharth was nabbed in Janakpuri and three kg of heroin was recovered from him, said PS Kushwah, deputy commissioner of police (special cell).

The Punjab-based man revealed he had received the consignment from an African-origin person, Roland Diby (32). Diby was arrested from Mahavir Enclave on Saturday after raids were conducted in various parts of Uttam Nagar area and around 515 grams of heroin seized, Kushwah said.

During interrogation, Diby said he had come to India last October on a tourist visa, which was valid for six months. But he did not return even after the expiry of his visa and was lured into the trade by a Nigerian national residing in the same area, the DCP said.

The Ivory Coast national used to receive consignments of heroin from his Afghanistan-based Nigerian associates. He also sends it to countries like Canada, South Africa, England, France through courier companies, the officer said.

The accused said many Afghanistan-based Nigerians send consignments of heroin through Afghan nationals, who bring heroin in India in their stomach by swallowing heroin-filled capsules, he added.