The Delhi Police at the weekend arrested a Nigerian and two other accomplices over their involvement in an international drug trafficking syndicate.

The syndicate allegedly smuggled heroin into India from Afghanistan and supplied it to various Indian cities as well as abroad. Two Afghan nationals and a Nigerian man were arrested in south Delhi with 5kg of heroin, worth Rs 25 crore (about N1,251,670,349.88).

The police identified the arrested 40-year-old Esmatullah and 22-year-old Khalilullah, both from Kandahar in Afghanistan, and 37-year-old Victor Osondu from Nigeria.

Police said they believed the arrested Afghan men have smuggled more than 100kg heroin into Delhi in the past two years. They had brought 15kg heroin in their last trip to Delhi on August 30.

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“They hid the drugs in special cavities created in their luggage. The concealment of the heroin was done in such a way that luggage scanners at airports were unable to detect it,” said a police officer, privy to the operation.

Deputy commissioner of police (special cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah said the arrested Afghan men also used their compatriots who smuggled small capsules filled with heroin in their stomach while travelling to Delhi from Afghanistan.

Kushwah said the special cell team received information on September 17 that the two Afghan nationals would deliver a consignment of heroin to their Nigerian contact near a hospital in Saket the next day. A trap was laid and the three were caught exchanging packets, containing the heroin and foreign currency.

“The two Afghan nationals revealed that they supplied the trafficked heroin to Nigerian nationals who operate the cartel from Delhi. Victor is one of the receivers of the smuggled contraband,” said Kushwah.

The DCP said Victor revealed during the interrogation that he came to India on a business visa in 2014 for a period of six months. As his visa expired, Victor did not return to his country and was lured into the drug trade one of his Nigerian acquaintances. Victor worked for him for almost six months and later established his own network.

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“Victor revealed that he procured heroin and supplied them to his contacts in Canada, England, France and South Africa through courier companies,” added Kushwah.