Drug cartel busted, heroin worth ₹12 crore seized

Two arrested from Delhi and Bareilly, kingpin on the run

The Delhi Police arrested two members of a drug cartel and seized three kilogram of heroin worth more than ₹12 crore in international market from their possession.

Tip-off

The Special Cell of Delhi Police got a tip-off on January 10 that Savej (20), a member of the cartel, would come to Anand Vihar bus depot to supply a huge consignment of drugs to a Delhi-based dealer.

He was nabbed with 2 kg of fine-quality heroin, said Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell).

Savej told the police that Asiq Ali (36) and Riyaz, the alleged kingpin of the cartel, are still in possession of a large quantity of heroin and he provided specific leads about their whereabouts in Bareilly.

A team was rushed to Bareilly to nab Ali and Riyaz. Raids were conducted and Ali was nabbed. One kilogram of heroin along with mobile sets and SIM cards were seized from his possession, said the officer.

Opium cultivation

According to the police, licences were issued to certain farmers in Bareilly and Badaun to cultivate opium, but many others cultivated it illegally since there is huge profit in growing opium.

Riyaz, a resident of Bareilly, along with his partners, used to procure drugs from the farmers who cultivated opium illegally and processed that into pure form of heroin.

The drugs were supplied to Delhi, U.P., Madhya Pradesh and Punjab through carriers.