Delhi Police has busted an interstate narcotics trafficking network and seized 183 kg of marijuana worth around Rs 1.5 crore that was concealed inside a specially fabricated hidden compartment in a truck container, an official said on Thursday.
Three people, including the alleged kingpin of the syndicate, have been arrested in connection with the case, police said.
The police received specific inputs on June 13 that a truck was transporting a large consignment of marijuana from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi via the Mumbai Expressway.
Acting on the tip-off, a team was formed and deployed near Kalindi Kunj metro station and around 2 am on June 14, the truck was intercepted on the Kalindi Kunj-Madanpur Khadar road, they said.
“During inspection, a specially designed hidden cabin above the driver’s compartment was found, which could be accessed through a concealed hatch,” a senior police officer said.
From the secret compartment, the police recovered 38 packets wrapped in brown adhesive tape containing marijuana.
The two occupants of the truck, Subodh Kumar Mishra (40) and Brij Kishore Tiwari (36), both residents of Bihar, were arrested.
During interrogation, the accused disclosed that they were part of a network transporting commercial quantities of ganja from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh to Delhi-NCR and neighbouring areas.
The investigation revealed that the consignment was being transported at the behest of Shriram, the truck owner and alleged mastermind of the syndicate, who coordinated procurement, transportation and delivery of the contraband, the police said.
Based on technical surveillance and leads generated during questioning, Shriram was later traced and arrested from Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.
Police said Shriram has been previously involved in three Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) cases related to commercial quantities of narcotics.
A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the NDPS Act and further investigation is underway, they said.
