India News | Delhi Police Nabs 2 Narcotic Smugglers, Heroin Worth Rs 1.55 Crore, Alprazolam Drug Seized
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The Delhi Police has arrested two narcotic smugglers from Uttar Pradesh and recovered heroin worth Rs 1.55 crore from them, officials said on Saturday.
New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI) The Delhi Police has arrested two narcotic smugglers from Uttar Pradesh and recovered heroin worth Rs 1.55 crore from them, officials said on Saturday.
According to the police, 1.543 kgs of alprazolam, a pharmaceutical drug prescribed to manage panic and anxiety disorders, was also recovered from them.
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They used alprazolam to chemically enhance heroin's potency, they said.
Mahendra Pal (50) and Natthu Khan (60), operated by sourcing alprazolam from Rampur and heroin from Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, which they trafficked into Delhi and Punjab, an official said.
To avoid detection, they used public transport and posed as regular commuters while carrying the contraband in personal belongings. The substances were then sold to local peddlers at transit hubs like UP's Ghazipur, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Aditya Gautam said.
Pal initially worked as a middleman supplying alprazolam to heroin manufacturers. Later, he developed his own network to directly supply chemically altered heroin, he said.
During interrogation, he revealed that alprazolam was routinely added to heroin to boost its strength and market value, Gautam said.
Pal was apprehended on June 28 near Harijan Basti in Ghazipur.
"From his possession, police recovered 1.543 kg of alprazolam and 296 grams of heroin. Following his disclosure, police arrested another key supplier, Natthu from Bareilly on July 11, and seized 310 grams of heroin from him," the DCP added.
Khan's brother held a licensed opium agriculture permit which was allegedly being misused for heroin production.
A case under relevant sections of the NDPS Act has been registered and further investigation is underway.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)