Muzaffarnagar: 210 kg Heroin worth crores seized, one held; case linked to Shaheen Bagh drug seizure

In a major crackdown, three law enforcement agencies seized 210 kg of heroin from the Muzaffarnagar area of Uttar Pradesh. A coordinated operation was carried out by the Gujarat ATS, NCB and Delhi Police Special Cell which seized the massive contraband. The agencies carried out raids and searches in the Kidwai Nagar area of Muzaffarnagar, following which a suspect has been taken into custody. The suspect has been identified as Haider.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Friday pointed to a potential narco-terrorism angle in the Rs 100-crore drug bust from Delhi's Shaheen Bagh locality. The bureau also confirmed that the drugs seized has connections with Dubai, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and that there is a large nexus involved in the drug trade. While speaking to media, NCB head SN Pradhan said, "Investigation shows that this may have links with narco-terrorism. It has connections with Dubai, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. More people are involved in this case. "He explained that in anticipation of the Taliban's ban on cultivation of opium in Afghanistan, there seems to be a rise in exports and illegal trafficking outside. "There is demand in the Indian market," added Pradhan. "These syndicates have been smuggling goods to India via maritime as well as land border routes wherein heroin was smuggled in alongside various goods. Heroin was later extracted from those goods by Indian counterparts with the help of some Afghan nationals," said the NCB head.