Crackdown on peddlers, 6 held with Rs 85 crore drugs in Delhi

New Delhi, May 6

In two separate operations, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police has arrested six persons, including a woman, and recovered drugs valued at over Rs 85 crore in the international market, an official said on Saturday. Also, Rs 7.5 lakh hawala money was recovered from the accused.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Lakhpat Singh (43), Suresh (24) and Prakash Puri (39), all residents of Uttar Pradesh; Dal Chand (36) of Uttarakhand; Taslima Begum (38) of Assam; and Ravi Prakash (34) of Delhi.

Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) HGS Dhaliwal said in the first operation, the police received information about the arrival of Lakhpat and Suresh in a truck at Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar. Their purpose was to deliver opium to one of Chand’s associates.

“Following the tip-off, a raid was organised, and both individuals were apprehended,” the officer said. Based on the information provided by the accused, the police team proceeded to Kichha in Uttarakhand, where they apprehended Chand, a pivotal member of the drug cartel.

“Subsequently, another key member of the syndicate, Puri, was arrested in Bareilly in UP and Rs 7.5 lakh was seized from his residence,” said Dhaliwal.

During the investigation, Lakhpat admitted to engaging in drug trafficking for approximately five to six years. He revealed that on Chand’s instructions, he procured the seized opium from suppliers based in Jharkhand. The consignments were collected from various locations in Jharkhand and skillfully hidden amidst bags of coconuts.

“Chand, in his disclosure statement, divulged that he received the opium from individuals named Lallan and Bhanu, both residents of Jharkhand. He would then distribute the narcotics to local contacts in Delhi/NCR, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, and other regions. Chand further revealed that he facilitated hawala transactions through Puri to transfer funds to his suppliers,” said the Special CP. — IANS

Arrested in separate operations

• Lakhpat Singh, Suresh and Prakash Puri of Uttar Pradesh arrested from various locations, as per reports
• Others arrested include Dal Chand of Uttarakhand, Taslima Begum of Assam and Ravi Prakash of Delhi
• In first operation, police received inputs about arrival of Lakhpat, Suresh at Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar
• In another operation, police received inputs regarding a woman from Assam reportedly involved in drug trafficking