MAPUSA
The Goa and Delhi branches of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) busted a major drugs racket following the seizure of 34.7 kgs of heroin worth about Rs 50 crore in New Delhi, which was concealed as salt imports from Iran to India.
Two persons have been arrested in North Goa in this connection.
According to sources, the two suspects, identified as Abdul Zahir Nasir (39) a native of Afghanistan but residing in Delhi and Nitish Suman Prasad Kumar (30) of Lajpat Nagar, Delhi, were nabbed by the Goa branch of DRI during a raid at a reputed nightclub in North Goa while the drug deal was allegedly in operation.
Sources said the suspects had brought a container containing heroin from Iran under the pretext of salt imports about eight days ago.
Kumar’s company had allegedly ordered six containers of salt and the containers were unloaded at the International Container Depot in Tughlaqabad, New Delhi after arriving in India.
A search of the container by the Delhi Division of the DRI on February 17 revealed that while five other containers contained salt, one container contained 34.7 kgs of heroin. The container containing the heroin was later seized by the DRI.
During investigations, the DRI sleuths were informed that the owner of the company and another suspect had gone to Goa for a drug-related deal.
Acting on the basis of this information, the Delhi division of DRI alerted its counterparts at the Goa branch of DRI.
The Goa branch of DRI then swung into action and investigations revealed that the suspect had gone to a reputed nightclub in a coastal area of North Goa for the drug deal.
DRI sleuths then set a trap and busted the drugs racket during a raid at the nightclub. They arrested Abdul Zahir Nasir and Nitish Suman Prasad Kumar on Thursday night.
The suspects were later produced before the North Goa District and Sessions Court in Panaji, where Judge Shabnam Sheikh remanded the two suspects in custody for three days.
A team from the Goa branch of DRI left for New Delhi on Saturday night along with the two suspects as investigations are being jointly conducted by the Delhi and Goa divisions of DRI.
