Four members of an alleged international drug syndicate were arrested here for supplying banned drugs and around 370 kg of ephedrine valued at over Rs.125 crore was recovered from them, police said Wednesday.
Mehboob Khan, 68, and Arther Frank, 42, were arrested June 15 from east Delhi's Shakarpur while exchanging a consignment of ephedrine, a stimulant that speeds up the heart and the nervous system, causing euphoria.
Their associates Sandeep Bansal, 36, and Krishan Kumar, 42, were arrested June 21 from Delhi's Bhagirath Place and Chandni Chowk, respectively. Both are from Delhi.
"Around 370 kg ephedrine worth over Rs.125 crore in the international market was recovered from their possession," said Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (special cell).
Khan and Frank told police they were acting on the behest of Abu Dada alias Baba, who is based in Dubai.
More From This Section
"Khan and Frank acted as couriers and supplied ephedrine to people of Nigerian origin in Delhi, who smuggled it to other countries," said the officer.
Khan, who is from Rampur in Uttar Pradesh, had been living in Dubai for the past three years. He ran a general store there.
Police said that Khan befriended Abu Dada in Sharjah in Dubai, who lured him to work as his agent for supplying ephedrine. When Khan came to Delhi, Abu Dada introduced him to Frank.
Frank, a Nigerian, came to India in 2001 on a six-month tourist visa but did not return to his country and started supplying heroin here.
"He was earlier arrested for supplying ephedrine and was jailed for 10 years. He was out on bail," said the officer.