An international drug racket in the capital was busted by police which arrested a 40-year-old Afghan national Qari Mohammad Hanif from Mehrauli area last Friday. Police claimed on Tuesday that the racket was being operated from Afghanistan, while disclosing that more than one kilogram of heroin was recovered from the arrested Afghan national.

Deputy commissioner of police, Special Cell Pramod Singh Kushwah said that, “Hanif was caught in a possession of 525 gram of heroin. Another 575 gram of the deadly drug  was recovered from his rented apartment in Lajpat Nagar. The officer said Hanif was visiting Delhi for the fifth in connection with heroin smuggling.

Kushwah said Hanif carried ingested drugs to avoid any apprehension at airports. On the directions of his associates, Hanif used to deliver heroin at various places in Delhi/NCR. His customers were mostly foreign nationals, including Africans, he disclosed, adding that smuggled drug was transported to European and American countries besides New Zealand where it cost over $ 800 per gram.”

“Since Friday we have been interrogating him and during this time the accused disclosed some important details about the syndicates and their modus operandi through which these people are providing drugs to the customers in Delhi,” said the DCP.

“The accused is a son of an armyman, who was killed about ten years ago while fighting Tailban militants in Afghanistan. He completed his post-graduation in law from Khwaja Musafir College in Kabul, Afghanistan. He has two wives and six children. In the year 2012-13, he visited Delhi for heart treatment of his wife and stayed for over two months,” said police.

“During investigation of different modules running international drug cartel in Delhi and other parts of India, information was gathered about a syndicate operating from Afghanistan. On further inquiry, Hanif was identified as a courier,” said Kushwah.

Last Friday a tip off was received by Special Cell team of Delhi Police that Hanif had reached Delhi from Afghanistan along with a consignment of heroin. It was also learnt that the consignment would be delivered in Mehrauli area. On basis of that information a team of police laid a trap near Madhi Mosque in Mehrauli and were successful in arresting Hanif. with 525 grams of heroin.

Kushwah said during interrogation Hanif told police that he brought ingested heroin pellets from his handlers in Afghanistan to sell to dealers of Delhi/NCR and other states.  Accordingly a raid was conducted at Lajpat Nagar and 575 grams of heroin was seized from his rented room.

“On sustained interrogation Hanif told police that he was employed in a government job and was preparing for judicial services in Afghaistan. Earlier this year he had visited Jalalabad on an official tour where he met one Jabatur who offered him US $ 800 to carry “heroin pellets” to India. He was then trained in heroin pellet ingestion,” said police.

A case under relevant section of NDPS Act for illegally possessing heroin was registered and investigation has been taken up to unearth the entire drug syndicate involved in this trade, said police.