Inter-state coordination helps cops fight city's drug menace
New Delhi: The arrest of a Nigerian drug peddler from Dwarka's Goyala Dairy area on Sunday was the result of a source-based information – which was obtained during the two inter-state meetings between police departments of four states, including one coordinated by the Chief Ministers of four different states held in Punjab.
According to Delhi Police, a major agenda of these meetings was to share information on sources through whom drugs are being smuggled to different states like Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
"The drug traffickers arrested by state police in different areas are just like pawns. There is the possibility that the kingpin is sitting in the neighbouring state. We have asked them to share the details regarding the arrest and the source. If it is in Delhi, we will make sure they get arrested," a senior Delhi Police officer said.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) AK Singla stated that Ugochukwv John, the Nigerian national living in Goyala Dairy, was arrested in coordination with Punjab Police.
"The Punjab Police had arrested a foreign national in their state and the accused gave them a phone number of the exact source, which was shared with Delhi Police. During investigation, the culprit was nabbed. Coordination can help in curbing the drug trafficking," said DCP (Crime) Bhisham Singh.
The Chief Ministerial meeting in Punjab was attended by Joint Commissioner rank officer from Delhi Police, while another meeting in Hisar, Haryana, was attended by Additional Commissioner rank officials.
Delhi Police sources said that the arrested Nigerian national is a tough nut to crack and he had links with traffickers living in Chandigarh.
Investigators suspect that he also had some tie-ups with traffickers living in Punjab's Sangrur district, which is also a matter of investigation.
"We found that the drug traffickers from Punjab came to Delhi to take heroin from the accused to be sold in their states. We also suspect that he (John) has several foreign national associates involved in this crime," said an investigator.
During the inter-state meetings, police from other states also told Delhi Police about drugs being supplied from Dwarka district, as a result of which the district police has started a crackdown.
In eight months, 14 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act were reported, in which Dwarka district police arrested 18 people and solved all cases.
Cops also took action against more than 100 foreign nationals were living without proper documents.
During Sunday's raid, the Delhi Police Crime Branch also arrested eight foreigners living without a valid visa and passport.
Moreover, a new technique is now being used by foreigners living without documents, as investigators claimed that such accused often claim that they have given their visa and passport to someone else living in another place.
"One of the accused said that his identity proof was with some doctor from whom he was getting treatment. Another claimed that he came to India to play football and his passport is with a person living in another state. We suspect they have destroyed their passports," added the investigator.
