NEW DELHI: Delhi police have busted an international drug trafficking gang with alleged ties to the United Kingdom and seized more than 18 lakh psychotropic tablets worth Rs 9 crore. Five people have been arrested in connection with the case so far.
The matter dates back to October 7 last year, when the crime branch acted on a tip-off and laid a trap at Mehak Apartment, Madanpur Khadar Extension-I, Sarita Vihar, from where Mohammad Abid (50) was apprehended. As many as 54,000 Tramadol Hydrochloride tablets weighing 14.472 kg were recovered by the police.
During the interrogation, the supply chain of the illegal pharmaceutical network was systematically exposed. Abid disclosed that he had procured the tablets from Javed Khan, his relative and son-in-law. Khan, who was arrested on October 30, named the owner of Prahlad Logistics in Samalka, Sunil Kumar, as his source during questioning.
Sunil Kumar was arrested on November 2 last year and he, in turn, revealed Vishnu Dutt Sharma as the supplier. Sharma, who works as an exporter, was also arrested on November 2. He revealed further links to Vikash Singh alias Ishwar Singh and TC Sedana. Vikash was nabbed on November 6. Proceedings are underway to declare another associate, Naushad alias Bablu, a proclaimed offender.
The investigation has revealed that Sharma had exported a container disguised as a household item, concealing 32 boxes of Tramadol and other prohibited tablets destined for the United Kingdom. Police coordinated with customs authorities to hold the container. The shipment was not delivered in the UK and was returned to India, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Vikram Singh said.
The container arrived at the T-3 Terminal of the Mundra Port in Gujarat. Once police custody was obtained, a joint raid was conducted on February 16, during which a large number of psychotropic substances were recovered.
As part of the investigation, police seized 54,000 tablets of Tramadol on October 7 last year. Later, police seized 13.8 lakh tablets of Alprazolam (Alpzar 1 mg), 1.95 lakh tablets of Alprazolam (Alpz-1), 1.35 lakh tablets of Tramadol, 30,000 tablets of Zolpidem, and 52,000 tablets of Nitrazepam on February 16. The total weight of the recovered items was 528.4 kilograms, the DCP said.