New Delhi: In its endeavour to curb drug trafficking, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) unearthed a novel modus operandi of heroin smuggling into India through the land route at India-Pakistan border. Based on specific intelligence developed and further profiling by DRI officers, a consignment of brooms was intercepted at Integrated Check Post, Attari, Amritsar. On examination, 5.480 kg of recovered heroin valued at Rs 38.36 crore in the international market was seized recently.

In the consignment of 4,000 pieces of brooms in 40 bags, the heroin was stealthily filled in 442 hollow short pieces or sticks of river cane and bamboo in three bags with ends of such sticks artificially sealed and such sticks were further concealed and camouflaged by being placed inside Afghan brooms, which were tied up with iron wire on the outside.

The cargo consignment of Afghan brooms from Afghanistan was imported by an Afghan national with fake Indian IDs in connivance with his Indian national wife. The said Afghan national was out on bail granted in an earlier NDPS case booked by the Delhi Police in 2018.

Both the Afghan national and his wife were arrested under NDPS Act, 1985.  Further, follow up action and investigations to unearth the entire conspiracy and smuggling module and to gather evidence are being conducted. /BI/