Cops arrest 5 for drug trafficking, seize 513kg narcotics

Delhi Police arrested five men for running an international drug trafficking ring, seizing 513kg of illegal psychotropic tablets valued at ₹8 crore.

New Delhi: The Delhi Police has arrested five men for allegedly running an international drug trafficking and seized over 513kg of illegal psychotropic tablets, police said on Monday.

Police said a total of 513kg of narcotic substances, including tramadol, alprazolam, treken 100, zolpidem, nitrazepam, were seized (Photo for representation)

According to police, the drugs were seized from Delhi and Mundra Port in Gujarat,and are valued at about ₹8 crore.

Police said an investigation was launched on February 7 when they received an intelligence input that a group of men had been storing narcotics at Mehak Apartment in Madanpur Khadar.

A Crime Branch team was sent to the premises where they arrested a 50-year-old man with 14kgs of tramadol hydrochloride tablets.

DCP (crime) Vikram Singh said the accused, Mohd Abid, revealed that he had procured the drugs from his son-in-law Javed Khan.

“Khan was taken into custody. He told police that he was working with a warehouse owner in Samalkha. We arrested all the associates including an exporter, the warehouse owner, and a custom house staff who helped them,” said the DCP.

Police said they found that one of the accused, Vishnu Dutt Sharma, had initiated export of a container with household goods with 32 boxes of tramadol and other prohibited narcotics hidden in it. The container was destined for the United Kingdom, they said.

“The Crime Branch coordinated with Customs authorities and the shipment was halted. The container arrived at T-3 Terminal, Mundra Port, on February 16. A joint raid was conducted by multiple teams, including drugs inspector, forensics, and Customs, at the port and a massive quantity of psychotropic substances were seized,” said the DCP.

Police said a total of 513kg of narcotic substances, including tramadol, alprazolam, treken 100, zolpidem, nitrazepam, were seized.

“Abid was earlier involved in an animal feed business. Later, he got involved in the illegal trade of psychotropic substances and played a key role in local distribution. His associate, Javed Khan, worked as a customs house agent (CHA) and dealt with documentation and clearance of consignments. Sharma was working as an exporter and primarily exporting household goods from India to the United Kingdom,” added the DCP.