2 Afghan men held for trafficking drugs, 900gm contraband seized

The Delhi Police on Saturday said they arrested two Afghan nationals on Wednesday, who allegedly trafficked contraband — heroin and methaqualone — into India from Afghanistan in capsules inside their stomach.

Police said the two are part of an international drug syndicate and 900 grams of heroin and methaqualone worth more than ₹1 crore in the international market were seized from them. The two were caught from Jal Vihar area in south Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar where they had come to deliver the consignment of drugs to a Delhi-based drug dealer. The arrested men were identified as Abdul Salam Rehmani and Abdul Hakim Junaidi, both aged 33 years.

Chinmoy Biswal, deputy commissioner of police (southeast), said the two had ingested 60 capsules each, one capsule containing seven to eight grams of the narcotic drugs, in Afghanistan before landing at the Delhi airport on different dates. Rehmani reached Delhi on April 7, while Junaidi’s flight landed at the Delhi airport on April 9, said Biswal.

“After reaching Delhi, the duo expelled the drug capsules at a flat in Delhi, which they had taken on rent. They were planning to deliver the consignment to their receiver. But our team caught them before they could do so,” said Biswal.

The arrests came following information that two foreign nationals possessing drugs would come to Jal Vihar area. A trap was laid near the railway tracks.

The suspects started running as they saw the police party. However, they were caught and the consignment of drugs was seized.

During the interrogation, Biswal said, Rehmani disclosed that he worked as a rickshaw puller at his native place in Afghanistan while Junaidi runs a small departmental shop. They both wanted to become rich quickly.

Around five months ago, they met one Mohammad Shahi in Afghanistan and he offered them to smuggle drugs capsules from Afghanistan by swallowing them and expel once they reach their destination in India. They further disclosed that their handler had assured them that these capsules would be wrapped in a multilayer of polythene and would not harm them if they consume it, said police.

“Since, both were financially weak, they agreed to smuggle the drugs consignment in order to earn quick money.

They both were paid in US dollars for this consignment,” Biswal said, adding they are now looking for the person who was to receive the consignment.