International drugs cartel unearthed, contraband valued at INR 6 crore seized

New Delhi, April 25 (IANS): The Special Cell of Delhi Police has busted an international narcotics drugs syndicate and arrested three people, including a kingpin, in this connection, an official said on Monday.

Apart from the arrests, 550 gm of recreational drug Crystal Methamphetamine (ice) and 470 gm of heroin, both valued at INR 6 crore in the international market have been recovered.

The three accused were identified as Izchukwu Amara (29), a Nigerian national and presently residing in a rented accommodation at Uttam Nagar, Delhi, Ankit Sagar (24) and Abhinandan alias Sheeku, both residents of Gurugram, Haryana.

Furnishing details, DCP (Special Cell) Jasmeet Singh said there was an information with Special Cell about the running of an international narcotic drugs cartel by Delhi based Nigerian nationals in association with their Indian counterparts in Delhi-NCR. Members of this cartel used to send party drugs neatly packed in parcels through various courier companies in Delhi to other countries.

“An information was received on April 17 that a member of this syndicate namely Izchukwu Amara, a Delhi based Nigerian national will hand over a packet of crystal methamphetamine (ice drug) to another member of syndicate namely Ankit Sagar near a metro pillar at Najafgarh road on the same day,” DCP Singh said.

Subsequently, a team was constituted which laid a trap and apprehended the duo from the spot and a case was registered under NDPS act at the Special Cell police station.

During further investigation of the case, third accused Abhinandan was arrested from a rented accommodation in Gurugram on April 18. “200 gms crystal methamphetamine and 200 gms heroin was recovered from the above house. In pursuant of disclosure statement of Ankit Sagar, search of his rented room in a house in the same locality in Gurugram led to the recovery of 100 gms crystal methamphetamine,” the official said.

Further search of the Nigerian national’s house in Uttam Nagar Delhi was conducted and 270 gms heroin recovered. Packing material used in preparing parcels and consignment of drugs to be sent through courier companies have also been recovered from the said house. One fake passport of Nigeria in name of accused Izchukwu Amara having multiple forged visas and immigration stamps was found.

The accused has disclosed that passport and visa stickers and immigration stamps on it were all fake. During interrogation, the arrested said that they have already sent more than 125 parcels of various types of narcotic drugs in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia during the last six months.

According to police, the estimated international value of these smuggled drugs is more than Rs 200 crore in the international grey market of drugs. The accused used to book these parcels by providing fake IDs to conceal their identities.