New Delhi, Oct 30 In a major crackdown on narcotics trafficking under the 'Drugs-Free Delhi' drive, the Delhi Police Crime Branch has busted an inter-state drug supply network, arresting four accused and recovering 3.150 kg of fine-quality charas valued at approximately Rs 1.2 crore in the international market. A Santro car used to smuggle the contraband was also seized.
According to Delhi Police, the Anti-Robbery and Snatching Cell (ARSC) team intercepted a vehicle near Mukandpur Chowk on October 22 following a tip-off about a supplier arriving from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.
The car, driven by Chunni Lal, was chased for nearly five kilometres before being stopped. Despite searches yielding nothing initially, a dog squad was called and K-9 unit dog 'Amro' detected the charas concealed inside a specially-designed cavity in the vehicle.
“Dog 'Amro' from dog squad (K-9) arrived at the spot and did a wonderful job and traced out the contraband which was hidden in a cavity of the car. The said cavity was specially designed by the accused for the transportation of contraband. Total 2.060 Kg Charas having international market value of Rs 80 Lakh was seized from their possession,” the police said in its press note.
Police said Chunni Lal had earlier been convicted in a Himachal Pradesh NDPS case and spent 10 years in jail before being released in 2023.
He allegedly resumed drug trafficking soon after. Based on his interrogation, the supplier, Prakash Chand of Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, was also arrested on October 28.
In a separate operation on October 24, the same team apprehended Mumbai resident Yogesh Kolambekar from Mukarba Chowk with 1.092 kg of charas.
Kolambekar, a tile showroom employee and part-time bhajan singer, allegedly sourced the contraband from Himachal and was planning to transport it to Mumbai.
Police said he is a habitual charas consumer for the past 20 years and also supplied it to acquaintances in a bhajan group.
During questioning, the accused revealed a surge in demand for charas in Delhi-NCR and Mumbai during the festive season.
Police said the contraband was traced back to suppliers in the upper forest belts of Kullu, allegedly cultivated by Nepalese groups.
“Further investigation of both the cases is continued to trace out the other suppliers and receivers of the contraband,” said DCP Sanjeev Kumar Yadav.
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