International module of heroin trafficking busted, foreign nationals among 7 arrested: NCB

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Sunday said it has arrested as many as seven people including two foreign nationals and seized two kg of heroin from their possessions.

The NCB, in a statement, said that it has busted an international module of heroin trafficking and unearthed a modus operandi of their operation. Around 12 kg of heroin has been linked in the investigation. The international value of linked heroin is more than Rs 48 crores.

"Narcotics Control Bureau has unearthed a modus operandi, wherein the mastermind sitting and co-ordinating the operations from abroad had created various layers of anonymity. To circumvent the current situation of controlled international passenger flights, the mastermind and the syndicate involved were exploiting the international courier route," said NCB Deputy Director KPS Malhotra in a statement.

"Around 12 kg of heroin linked in the investigation and around 2 kg of heroin seized and two parcels of quantity unknown have been traced live and will be seized soon. Total seven persons including one African national and one Burmese national arrested," the statement added.

The NCB busted the trafficking module through a control delivery mechsm. The operation began after the NCB seized a parcel containing 970 gms of heroin at Aramex courier services on September 1.

"The consignor address of the parcel was South Africa based. DG, NCB Rakesh Asthana issued a controlled delivery order for the above parcel to unearth the syndicate. The controlled delivery mechsm empowered the NCB to keep the parcel delivery alive, even after seizing the contraband and replacing the same with the dummy parcel," the statement read.

According to the statement, the NCB team ''meticulously" conducted the operation and made the first arrest on September 2 in which a man identified as Wahid was arrested.

During the investigation, Wahid disclosed that he has been regularly getting these deliveries on behest of a person named Mohsin. After the arrest of Wahid, Mohsin and his associates went underground and shifted their base from Uttam Nagar to a hotel in Delhi.

"The dedicated efforts of the team were fruit and Mohsin along with his three associates namely Shahjahan, Hf and Munnasir were apprehended from a Hotel at Mahipalpur, Delhi," the statement noted.

The intensive interrogation and digital forensics revealed that one parcel had arrived at courier service and the same was seized and was found to have 980 gms of heroin.

During the digital forensic analysis and footprinting, it was learnt that the syndicate had already trafficked 10 such parcels containing approximately 1 kg heroin each during the lockdown period.

"The trails of the said deliveries are under investigation. Further, two live parcels are also being identified and the same will be seized in the near future. The credentials of Burmese national and African nations are being verified," the statement said.

( With inputs from ANI )