International drug racket busted, two from Hoshiarpur held in Delhi with 3.5kg heroin

NEWDELHI: Two drug peddlers from Punjab were arrested in Delhi with 3.5kg of heroin. The arrested drug dealers are members of an international drug cartel that has members from Afghanistan and African countries, police said on Monday.

Pramod Singh Kushwah, deputy commissioner of police (DCP crime), said one of the arrested men, Ravi Shankar, 50, had been previously sentenced to 20-year jail two cases registered against the NDPS Act in Punjab, Kushwah said.

The other arrested man, Vikas, alias Bhola, 30, became Shankar’s associate 10 months ago. Both are natives of Hoshiarpur, said the DCP.

“The two were caught on December 27 from the New Mahavir Nagar area in west Delhi’s Vikaspuri. Shankar was found possessing 2kg of heroin while Vikas had a packet containing 1kg of the contraband,” said the DCP. Police further raided Shankar’s native home and seized 500 grams of heroin, he said. Kushwah said the seized heroin was supplied to the two by a drug dealer based in Delhi but originally of African-origin.

Interrogation of the duo revealed that their contacts of African-origin used to get the supply of heroin from their counterparts in the neighbouring countries.

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“The two disclosed that couriers from the neighbouring countries bring the contraband in their stomach by swallowing capsules of heroin. The consignments of heroin are delivered to Delhibased drug dealers and further supplied to Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and even to European countries,” said Kushwah.

Police said the foreign national who supplied heroin to Shankar has been identified.

They said Shankar was introduced to the drug dealer by a Nigerian woman, who is lodged in the Kapurthala jail, where Shankar was also serving imprisonment. Kushwah said Shankar is a habitual drug supplier and was previously arrested in more than 18 cases of drug and liquor trafficking. He was last arrested in 2012. But after being released on bail, Shankar continued his illegal business and included his neighbour Vikas into it.

Shankar is convicted in three cases of the NDPS Act. In two cases, he was convicted for 10 years jail with fine in each case registered in Hoshiarpur.

MAIN ACCUSED IS A CONVICT IN THREE CASES OF THE NDPS ACT. IN TWO CASES, HE WAS SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN JAIL