JOIN USPunjab may be the drug capital of India but it is Delhi which has become one of the biggest transit point in the world for contraband heading to major consumption markets like Europe and North America, says a senior Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer.
With the biggest producer of heroin in the world – Afghanistan – not very far, and with less stringent punishment for drug trafficking than some countries, India and in particular Delhi has become the chosen transit point of major drug cartels of the world.
“Most of the heroin consumed in the world is produced in Afghanistan. Since drug trafficking carries death penalty in most of the Middle East countries, the bulk of the produce comes to India via Pakistan,” says Rohit Sharma, zonal director, Delhi zone, NCB.
Once it reaches Delhi from bordering states like Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir, heroin is sent to Europe and America by concealing it in small courier parcels.
“The concealment is mainly done by creating false cavities in items like books, paintings, machinery parts, combs, designer clothing, show soles, decoration items and skipping ropes,” says an NCB officer.
Since the ouster of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, opium production has leapt back to the pre-Taliban days when more than 80 per cent of the world’s opium, from which heroin is produced, used to grow in that country.
Due to the dubious distinction of being the largest poppy producer in the world, people and luggage coming from Afghanistan are thoroughly checked at all the major European and American airports.
“In European countries and America, luggage coming from Afghanistan is checked thoroughly due to security reasons. It’s very difficult to get contraband substances past the security checks at the airports,” Sharma says.
“On the other hand, luggage originating from India is not as stringently checked. So the heroin is routed through India to European and American destinations,” Sharma adds.
Delhi being located close to the border states and the presence of a major international airport makes it an ideal place to supply contraband drug
further.
Not only heroin, it is a major transit point for cocaine as well.
“Cocaine is brought to India from South American countries, especially Brazil, mainly through air routes by carriers, concealed in their personal baggage by creating false cavities or concealing in food products like milk powder,” says an NCB officer.
“Professional swallowers also traffic cocaine stuffed in small capsules ensheathed in cellophane, rubber or gelatin coverings. The swallowed capsules are retrieved after passing out the stools in the destination country. Besides this, cocaine also reaches India from Brazil concealed in courier parcels,” he adds.
The major markets of cocaine are in Southeast Asian countries. However, in countries like China and Indonesia the law against smuggling drugs is very stringent and carries the death penalty. So the suppliers choose India as a transit hub, as it’s near these countries also.
In India, smuggling contraband drug carries punishment ranging from 10 years to 20 years. In a rare case, capital punishment can also be given.
“Under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act, a person caught carrying small quantity is liable to punishment of up to one year. A person caught carrying commercial quantity of contraband drug is liable to be punished for up to 20 years. If the amount illegally carried by a person is less than commercial quantity and more than small quantity then he can be imprisoned for up to 10 years,” says Rohit Sharma.
The definition of `small’ and `commercial’ quantities varies from one drug to another. So 100 milligrams of LSD is commercial quantity, one kilo of ganja is small quantity.
In financial year 2015-16, the Narcotics Control Bureau seized 225 kg of contraband drug in the National Capital Region, which is an increase of 34 per cent in total NCB drug seizures compared to the previous year. That year the quantity seized was 167 kg.
The central agency, tasked to control the menace of drugs in the country, also arrested 27 drug peddlers during the period in 47 operations. These included 18 foreigners. Seven of the 18 were women, says an NCB report.
The agency seized various categories of narcotics like heroin, cocaine, charas, pseudoephedrine, methaqualone and amphetamine.
“Out of the 18 foreigners arrested, seven were women who acted as couriers. Amongst the nine Indians arrested in these cases during the same time period, only one was female,” says an NCB officer.
Amongst the foreigners held for these offences, the majority came from African countries like Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana and Zimbabwe.
Apart from NCB, Delhi Police’s various branches like Narcotics Prevention Cell, Special Cell, Crime Branch and local police stations also seized drugs and arrested peddlers.
According to Delhi Police’s Narcotics Prevention Cell, 41 persons, including four Nigerians, have been arrested so far in 2016.
On the ‘nexus’ of Afghans living in Delhi and African nationals in drug trafficking, an NCB senior officer says some Afghans bring heroin from Afghanistan concealed in cavities of bags and boxes and in Delhi they hand it over to the traffickers who take it further to the destination countries.
“These Africans come mostly on student visas and don’t return after the expiration of their stay here. Most of them even stop going to their educational institutes after taking admission there,” says Sharma.
Apart from heroin and cocaine, synthetic drugs, not based on any natural product, are now being increasingly abused. Unlike cocaine and heroin, these drugs are mainly produced and distributed inside the country.
Methaqualone, methamphetamine and LSD are some of the synthetic drugs available in Delhi. These are in huge demand by party-going youths because they are easily available in the city and cheaper than a drug like heroin.
In India, synthetic drugs are manufactured mainly in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
“Ephedrine is used in medicines for treating shortness of breath, pseudoephedrine goes into the production of nasal decongestants. Along with acetic anhydride, they are key ingredients of synthetic drugs and their sale is controlled by the Central government,” says an NCB officer.