Drug trafficker held with 1.1kg heroin worth ₹2 crore

Hanif has brought over three kgs of heroin using similar modus operandi in his five trips to India since May this year. PRAMOD SINGH KUSHWAH, deputy commissioner of police, special cell

NEW DELHI: A 40-year-old man from Afghanistan was arrested on Tuesday in the National Capital by Delhi Police’s special cell for allegedly smuggling heroin into India and supplying it to drug peddlers in Delhi-ncr.

According to the police, Qari Mohammad Hanif from Kabul is part of an international drug cartel operating from Afghanistan and supplying heroin in Asia, Europe and Amercia via India. A total of 1.1 kg of heroin worth ₹2 crore in the international market was seized.

Pramod Singh Kushwah, deputy commissioner of police (special cell), said Hanif had been smuggling the contraband in the form of ingested heroin pellets during his visits to India. “Hanif has brought over three kg of heroin using similar modus operandi in his five trips to India since May this year,” said Kushwah.

Kushwah said Hanif was arrested on Friday from south Delhi’s Mehrauli following infor- mation that he would go there to deliver a consignment to a Nigerian drug dealer. “A trap was laid and Hanif was caught with 525 grams of heroin. He led the raiding team to his rented home in Lajpat Nagar from where 575 grams of the contraband was recovered,” the DCP said.

During interrogation, Hanif said that he brought the ingested heroin pellets from his handlers in Afghanistan who paid them $800 for each visit.

“He first visited Delhi in 2012-13 for his wife’s heart treatment,” said Kushwah adding that Hanif was using two passports for his India visits.

Hanif told police that in March 2017, he visited Jalalabad on an official tour. During his stay, one Jabatur met him and offered to pay $800 per visit for smuggling heroin pellets into India. Jabatur introduced him to main drug dealer Mahpir, who gave him the details of his contacts in India, said police.

“Hanif underwent heroin pellets ingestion training in a big factory that had heroin pellets packing machines. In his first trip to India in May, Hanif smuggled 600 grams of heroin in the form of pellets in his stomach,” he added.

Police are looking for drug dealers whom he delivered heroin in the last six months.

Hanif is the son of a slain Afghanistan Army officer, who was killed 10 years ago fighting Taliban militants. He is a postgraduate in law.

A government employee in Afghanistan getting a salary of AFN 1,000 (Afghanistan currency) per month, Hanif has also been preparing for judicial services in his hometown.

Hanif has two wives and six children, said police.