Over 450 people were arrested in different parts of the city last year for their alleged involvement in organised crimes, ranging from drug trafficking and gunrunning to economic offences.
Specialised units of the Delhi Police — the Special Cell and Crime Branch — arrested 50 alleged criminals who were part of various gun-running rackets. One hundred and sixteen traffickers were arrested and 27 people were arrested in connection with circulating counterfeit currency in the Capital. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch registered as many as 250 cases and arrested 263 persons.
The Crime Branch smashed six gangs of gun-runners this year and recovered 43 sophisticated pistols, 70 country-made pistols and 348 live cartridges. The Special Cell also recovered 196 pistols during operations against gunrunning syndicates. They smashed gangs that smuggled illegal arms manufactured in Munger in Bihar. The accused persons are natives of Meerut, Kanpur and Allahabad.
In one of the biggest catches so far, the Special Cell had arrested Niranjan Mishra and Mohammed Feroz Alam from Shastri Park and seized 99 pistols and 99 spare magazines.
Recovery of drugs was also huge in 2013. The Delhi Police recovered 2.62 kg and 100 capsules of cocaine compared to 1.98 kg in 2012. In 2013, 60.68 kg of opium was recovered, compared to 49.50 kg the previous year. The Delhi Police seized 82.59 kg of heroin, the biggest seizure of heroin in 2013.
Senior police officers attributed this to the constant surveillance at airports and other places.
The recovery of counterfeit currency however has come down as compared to 2012. While counterfeit currency with a face value of Rs.17.30 crore was recovered in 2012, the amount recovered in 2013 had a face value of Rs.5.66 crore. The reason, the senior police officers believe, is the constant crackdown on organised rackets that circulate these counterfeit notes in India through Bangladesh and Pakistan.
The EOW cracked the Stock Guru scam this year. Investigation in the case had revealed that the alleged fraudsters cheated over two lakh persons who had invested Rs.10,000 each or more, adding up to a total of Rs.463 crore, in the Stock Guru India company. Cracking down upon another major scam, the EOW arrested seven persons who were trying to withdraw Rs.5. 77 crore from a government account by forging cheques.
