New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) The Delhi Police have busted an inter-state drug syndicate operating between Uttar Pradesh and the national capital, by arresting five persons and recovering 326.85 grams of heroin (“smack”) valued at around Rs 60 lakh, officials said on Saturday.

The operation was carried out by the Anti-Narcotics Squad of the East District as part of an ongoing drive against drug trafficking under a zero-tolerance policy toward narcotics.

Police said the action began on the intervening night of February 12 after receiving specific information that a suspected drug peddler would deliver contraband near NH-24–Noida Link Road, close to Samaypur village in the Pandav Nagar area.

Acting on the tip-off, a police team laid a trap and apprehended Ameen Khan (24), a resident of Budaun district in Uttar Pradesh. During the search, 291 grams of smack, classified as a commercial quantity under the NDPS Act, were recovered from his possession.

During interrogation, Khan allegedly revealed the identities of his suppliers based in Budaun. Subsequently, police secured his custody and conducted raids in Uttar Pradesh, leading to the arrest of two sources identified as Rashid (38) and Balbir (34). A further 35.85 grams of smack was recovered from Balbir, police said.

Investigators said Khan had previously been arrested in 2023 in a narcotics case in Meerut and had been living in Delhi’s Shahdara area for the past five months, allegedly supplying drugs across the Delhi-NCR region.

Analysis of call detail records later revealed the involvement of two local associates — Asif (27) and Ikrar (42), both residents of Trilokpuri in east Delhi — who were allegedly distributing the contraband. Both were subsequently arrested. They were also wanted in an earlier NDPS case registered at the Mayur Vihar police station.

Police said all five accused were part of an organised inter-state network supplying narcotics from Uttar Pradesh to local dealers in Delhi.

Further investigation is underway to trace additional links and dismantle the remaining network, officials added.

–IANS

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