New Delhi: A three-month investigation into the inflow of narcotics through India’s international borders has led Delhi police to one of its biggest drug busts on record. The police are now in custody of a ‘receiver’, a distribution ‘kingpin’, 23 cartons of Thai Hydroponic marijuana and cocaine stuffed in eight U.S. Polo apparel bags.
In a press conference Wednesday, Delhi police said they seized 562 kg of cocaine worth estimated at more than Rs 2,000 crore from a godown in Mahipalpur Extension. Additionally, a team of the Trans Yamuna unit of the Delhi Police Special Cell also seized around 40 kg of marijuana during the same raid conducted late Tuesday night.
At the centre of this racket are a Delhi-based businessman and a Dubai-based ‘handler’.
According to police sources, Tushar Goyal, the alleged distribution ‘kingpin’ had been in touch with a ‘handler’, who instructed him to distribute the narcotics in India. Goyal is a resident of Delhi’s Vasant Vihar.
“Inputs were received that a South Delhi-based businessman had been leading a lavish lifestyle and was organising parties in high-end pubs and hotels. Goyal was tracked for three months before the raid. Initially we suspected there would be around 50-60 kg of cocaine,” said one source.
Four people have been arrested so far in the case including Goyal.
Others are Bharat Jain, who had come from Mumbai to allegedly receive the contraband from Goyal, and two of Goyal’s aides, Himanshu Kumar and Aurangzeb Siddiqui.
Sources added that while the main manufacturing of cocaine is done in South America, the investigating team is currently probing how the massive haul reached Delhi through Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
While it is suspected that the cocaine came via sea route, it is still a matter of investigation, it is learnt.
Additional Commissioner of Police, Special Cell, Pramod Kushwaha said while addressing the press conference Wednesday that it is suspected that the Thai marijuana from Phuket was brought to India via air.
The cocaine was found on the third floor of the godown owned by Goyal.
According to the police, Goyal, 40, graduated from Delhi’s IP University in 2003. His father, police said, runs two publications in Delhi—Tushar Publication and Tulip Publication. It was after his wedding in 2008 that Goyal got into the liaison business, according to the police.
“It was during his trips to Dubai that he came in touch with the mastermind of this drug cartel. He led an extremely lavish life,” a police source said.
Himanshu Kumar, 27, is a Class 12 dropout and worked as a bouncer. According to the police, he had come in contact with Goyal and joined the nexus. Aurangzeb Siddiqui, 23, belongs to Deoria in Uttar Pradesh and is a Class 11 dropout who came to Delhi in search of a job. He landed a job as driver for Tushar Goyal after which he became a part of the alleged nexus.
Meanwhile, Bharat Kumar Jain, 48, a resident of Mumbai’s Kurla West, allegedly came in contact with Goyal through drug dealers in Mumbai.
Police said that while 15 kg was seized from Goyal, Siddiqui and Kumar, the remaining was recovered from the godown. It was while the three had stepped out of the godown to meet the Jain that they were nabbed.
According to sources, the initial input was received by the Special Cell three months ago from Indian Intelligence agencies which alerted them to the consignment in view of the upcoming festive season and music concerts.
“An input regarding an international narcotic drug cartel involved in the smuggling of narcotics substance cocaine from abroad in Delhi was received from an Intelligence agency of the central government. This information was further developed meticulously by the team over a period of three months,” ADCP Kushwaha said. He added that appropriate legal action has been initiated against those apprehended and a probe is underway to determine their “forward and backward linkages”.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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