New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday lauded the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Delhi Police for mounting a joint operation in its fight against the narco syndicate and busting a major network in the Delhi-NCR area, leading to recovery of contraband drugs valued at Rs 27.4 crore.
Taking to X, the Home Minister wrote: “In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s zero tolerance against drugs, a major narco-network was busted in Delhi-NCR. The NCB and Delhi Police grabbed the gang by its throat and recovered methamphetamine, MDMA, and cocaine worth Rs 27.4 crore and arrested five people.”
“I applaud NCB and Delhi Police for this major breakthrough,” he added.
The Home Minister also reiterated that the Centre’s relentless fight against the drug trade will continue.
The drug seizure valued at Rs 27.4 crore was made in Chhatarpur area recently, where the joint team of NCB and Delhi Police special cell intercepted a vehicle carrying 5.10 kg of crystal methamphetamine costing Rs 10.2 crore. The police team also apprehended four African nationals, hailing from Nigeria.
The police had mounted its surveillance in the Chhatarpur area, after getting a tip-off about the imminent exchange of drugs.
When questioned, the drug traffickers revealed that the contraband was sourced from an African Kitchen in the Tilak Nagar area of West Delhi.
The joint NCB-police team, upon searching the premises, recovered 1.15 kg Crystal Methamphetamine, 4.14 kg Afghan Heroine and 5.77 kg of MDMA (Ecstasy pills) valued at Rs 16.4 crore (approximately). In another subsequent searches at Greater Noida apartment, 389 grams of Afghan Heroin and 26 grams of cocaine were recovered.
Initial investigations revealed that the African nationals had secured student visas on the pretext of getting admission to the private universities of Delhi-NCR but they used visa as a front to peddle illegal drugs in the country.
An organised syndicate is understood to be working behind African youths getting their foothold in India and then acting as conduit to supply drugs and cocaine in the region, including Delhi and Punjab.
(IANS)
