NEW DELHI, Nov 28: Ten alleged drug peddlers, including three foreign nationals, were arrested in Delhi-NCR for running a network that supplied narcotics to Telangana through courier services, police said on Friday.
Police detained more than 40 foreign nationals in connection with the transnational drug cartel. It was run predominantly by African nationals who would conceal contraband in the collars of the shirts and soles of shoes they couriered, officials said.
The cartel was busted in a joint operation by the Delhi and Telangana Police, in coordination with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in the last 24 hours, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Surender Kumar said at a press conference.
Drugs worth Rs 12 crore worth drugs were seized during the operation, including cocaine, MDMA, heroin and more than 5,000 MD pills worth Rs 7 crore, he said.
More than 40 foreign nationals, including 12 women, who were associates of the main accused, were detained for their role in the cartel and for violating visa norms during the raids.
The men were shifted to a deportation facility, while the process for the women is underway in coordination with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), the officer said.
Three months ago, Telangana Police busted a drug supply module in Hyderabad, uncovering a network that used courier services to transport narcotics.
The contraband was concealed in the collars of the shirts and soles of the shoes sent through the courier services, he added.
“During the investigation, it was found that the drugs were being sourced from Delhi and supplied to Telangana. Multiple raids were carried out across Delhi-NCR, leading to the arrest of the 10 accused,” Kumar said.
Delhi and Telangana police teams, formed after days of technical and manual surveillance, carried out 18 raids at several locations, including Mehrauli, Sant Garh, Nilothi, Pratap Enclave, Greater Noida, Munirka and Uttam Nagar.
During a raid in the Mohan Garden area, a Ugandan national, Zainab Kyobutungi alias Pamela (35), was arrested with 195 grams of cocaine, 24 grams of MDMA and Rs 40,500 in cash. A case was registered against him under sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, officials said.
A Nigerian national, Bekki alias Bekee (49), was arrested in another raid at Sant Garh in Tilak Nagar. Police said 5,209 ecstasy pills, 35.46 grams of cocaine and Rs 78,000 in cash were seized from her.
She allegedly disclosed supplying drugs to another Nigerian national, Frank, who was later arrested in Chander Vihar with 60 MD pills, police added.
The arrest of Jean Ahmad alias Godwin, who was wanted by Telangana Police, led to the recovery of 106.38 grams of cocaine and 107.83 grams of heroin from his locked house. Separate FIRs were registered in connection with these seizures.
The joint teams also arrested several Indian nationals who allegedly acted as key facilitators, managing finances, providing SIM cards and supporting logistics for the cartel.
Those arrested include Badruddin and his wife, Sama Umar, residents of Greater Noida, and Zafar from Mehrauli, who allegedly handled drug money. Badruddin was handling finance for the network and had sent Rs 10 crore, which was acquired from the drug trade, to Nigeria.
Titing Guite, S Joshua Guite and Lal Khosei Selien – residents of Delhi – were arrested for procuring and supplying SIM cards using fraudulent credentials to enable anonymous communication for peddlers, police said.
All the accused wanted by the Telangana Police have been handed over to the agency for further investigation.
Terming the action a major blow to the cartel’s operations, officers said the syndicate was engaged in smuggling cocaine, MDMA, heroin and ecstasy. It used illegally overstaying foreign nationals as carriers, operating through rented premises, and routing drug money through local handlers, they added.
Further investigation is in progress to trace remaining members of the network and identify financial channels linked to the syndicate, police said. (PTI)
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