7 kg heroin linked to Afghan cartel seized in Delhi

The arrested men were identified as Aqyar Khan Shinwari,30-year-old Afghan, and 27-year-old Sukhdev from Punjab. NCB officials said Shinwari is a key member of an international drug cartel.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Monday said they have seized seven kilograms of heroin, from south Delhi’s Hauz Rani, which was produced and processed in Afghanistan’s Jalalabad, and arrested two men, including an Afghan. It is suspected that the racket is linked to the international drug cartel, which had been busted recently by the Delhi Police leading to the seizure of about 330kg heroin in three different raids over the past two weeks.

The two drug smugglers in NCB custody. (SOURCED)

The arrested men were identified as Aqyar Khan Shinwari,30-year-old Afghan, and 27-year-old Sukhdev (identified by first name only) from Punjab. NCB officials said Shinwari is a key member of the international drug cartel and had set up an elaborate syndicate, which comprised drug dealers from India, Afghanistan and Africa.

“Shinwari has set up units in Jalalabad where heroin is processed and packed for being smuggled into India through air, water and road routes. He had been frequently visiting India to supervise the delivery of drugs manufactured in his facilities in Jalalabad. Shinwari had contacts in Punjab where the smuggled drugs were sold,” said a senior NCB official.

Another NCB official said Shinwari was caught last week from his rented house in south Delhi’s Hauz Rani from where the heroin was seized. Officials had received information that Shinwari would be handing over a consignment of heroin to Sukhdev, a receiver from Punjab. Both of them were caught during the delivery of the contraband at Shinwari’s house, the official said.

NCB’s deputy director general (northern region) SK Jha said Shinwari’s phone had his photos with a few Afghan men, who were arrested by the Delhi Police from Delhi and Mumbai over the last fortnight. The Delhi police have arrested 10 people, including 5 Afghan men, so far and have busted an elaborate racket in which chemically treated jute bags soaked in heroin and filled with dry fruits were being used to smuggle the contraband into India.

“We have reason to believe that all these arrested foreigners are linked and know each other. The source of heroin, seized by us and Delhi Police, is the same in Afghanistan. Shinwari is being interrogated to identify other members of the cartel so that we can neutralise their entire network. We have learnt that this seized seven kilo heroin was trafficked into India via air route. It was probably concealed in baggage,” said Jha.