A 40-year-old Afghan national was arrested from Mehrauli area on Friday for allegedly smuggling heroin from Afghanistan. More than one kilogram of heroine was recovered from the possession of the accused that was identified as Qari Mohammad Hanif.
Pramod Singh Kushwah, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Cell, said that, "Hanif was caught in a possession of 525 grams of heroin. Rest 575 grams of heroin were recovered from his rented apartment in lajpat Nagar. He was visiting Delhi for the fifth time with the purpose of smuggling heroin. He carried
ingested drugs to avoid any apprehension at airports. On the directions of his associates, Hanif used to visit various places in Delhi/NCR to deliver the heroin. His customers were mostly foreign nationals including Africans and they further transported it to European and American continent countries via India as it cost over $800 per gram in various countries including New Zealand.”
The accused is a son of an Army man who allegedly was killed about ten years ago while fighting with Tailban militants in Afghanistan. He completed his post graduation in law from Khwaja Musafir College in Kabul, Afghanistan. He has two wives and six children. In 2012-13, he visited Delhi for heart treatment of his wife and stayed for over two months, said police.
"During the investigation of different modules running an international drug cartel in Delhi and other parts of India, an information was revealed about a syndicate operating from Afghanistan. On further enquiry, Hanif was identified as a courier," said Kushwah.
On Friday, the Special Cell team of Delhi Police received a a tipoff that Hanif, an Afghan national, has reached Delhi from Afghanistan along with the consignment of heroin. It was also stated that, the consignment will be delivered in Mehrauli area.
On the basis of the information, a team led by Kailash Singh Bisht laid a trap near Madhi Mosque in Mehrauli and successfully arrested Hanif. 525 grams of heroin was recovered from his possession which he had brought to deliver to his customers.
During the interrogation, Hanif told the police that he brings the ingested heroin pellets from his handlers in Afghanistan to sell heroin to dealers of Delhi/NCR and other States. Kushwah also added that he has taken a room on rent in lajpat Nagar to keep the drugs.