Delhi Police dismantle cross-border drug cartel
The Delhi Police have busted a cross-border drug trafficking cartel, arresting 10 persons in this regard.
The police have seized 1,667 grams of high-grade heroin and 130 grams of other chemical substances.
The operation, which unfolded in Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana and the Delhi-NCR area, targeted a syndicate with deep-rooted international and domestic links.
Five properties worth Rs 10 crore have been identified for financial scrutiny, with investigations underway to trace the drug money trail.
According to the police, the first major arrest came on February 9, when a police team apprehended Faheem Farooq of Srinagar.
Acting on a tip-off, cops arrested Faheem while he was delivering heroin in Delhi. A subsequent raid at his rented accommodation in Bhogal led to the recovery of Rs 1.65 lakh in cash — suspected drug proceeds.
Faheem, a former jeweller, confessed to his role in the cartel and named his handler, Srinagar resident Shazia Peer.
The mastermind of the drug cartel, Shazia, was arrested after an extensive manhunt. She admitted to her role in coordinating drug deliveries and maintaining contact with one Harry, a Punjab-based supplier.
“A search of her mobile phone revealed links to global drug networks — spanning Afghanistan, the UK and the US. She also disclosed the involvement of her associate, Javed, who was arrested during a raid at her residence,” Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Devesh Chandra Srivastva said in a press conference. Further investigations led to the arrest of Parminder Singh Deol, alias Harry, in Ludhiana, a repeat offender with links to international traffickers in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Undercover surveillance and digital forensics confirmed his pivotal role in the supply chain.
His disclosures led to the arrest of other key operatives — including Salwinder, alias Gora; Sarabjeet; and Varinder, alias Sonu, from Punjab.
In Tarn Taran, Delhi cops arrested Ravi Sher Singh and Manjinder Singh with 130 grams of heroin.
A subsequent search at Ravi’s house uncovered an additional 299 grams of Afghan-origin heroin.
Ravi’s interrogation led to the arrest of Jashanpreet Singh, who confessed to receiving drug consignments via contacts made through the PUBG mobile phone application. He had earlier been booked under the NDPS and Aircraft Acts.
The investigation is still underway, with additional arrests and financial probes expected in the coming weeks.
Delhi