Foreign national held from Delhi with heroin worth Rs 25 cr

Shimla: In one of its biggest catch, Himachal Pradesh police arrested a 38-year-old African national hailing from lvory Coast, who was residing in Delhi, and seized heroin worth Rs 25 crore from his possession. He has been brought to Kullu for investigations after his arrest.

Talking to media persons, Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu said the police have recovered 6.297 kg of heroin and 362 grams of ganja from possession of the accused.

A police party from Kullu had raided his house in New Delhi on the basis of information provided by two youths earlier arrested in connection with drug peddling at Bhuntar (Kullu). "This man does not have a valid visa and he was living in India illegally, for which action under section 14 of the Foreigner Act has also been taken against him. The accused is the alleged kingpin of heroin trade and has been supplying the same across India since many years," he said

When asked how did the police succeed in the arrest of the foreigner, Kundu said the Kullu police were making a backwards tracking of a case involving two local youths some days back. About 55 gms heroin was recovered from a SIU they were using at Bhunter. A case under section 21 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), Act was registered and a car Chevrolet Beat was also seized.

Since July 2019, Kullu police have arrested 23 foreign nationals for drug trafficking, out of which 17 are African national heroin suppliers.

"We will also go for financial investigation and attachment of ill-gotten assets of the accused with the help of central agencies," he said.

In January-February 2021, a total of 149 NDPS cases were registered and 179.195 kgs charas and 840.286 grams heroin seized while 188 accused persons have been arrested.