LUCKNOW: An illegal heroin manufacturing facility operating from a residential locality in Lucknow’s Jankipuram has been busted by Delhi Police, exposing an alleged interstate narcotics network connecting Uttar Pradesh with Delhi-NCR.Four people have been arrested and 7.076kg of heroin, estimated to be worth around Rs 50 crore in the international market, has been seized, police said.The biggest recovery was made during a raid on October 4 at an alleged manufacturing unit in Sita Colony, Jankipuram, where police seized 6.275kg of freshly manufactured heroin along with chemicals, equipment and other materials suspected to have been used in the production process.The operation was conducted by the Special Staff of Delhi Police’s Rohini district.Investigators said the probe, which began with a tip-off about narcotics movement in Delhi, eventually led them to the alleged manufacturing facility in the Uttar Pradesh capital.Police also recovered 300grams of heroin and Rs 3 lakh in cash from Laxman Hooda, 58, a resident of Rohtak, Haryana, who was intercepted in Delhi’s Begumpur area on September 16.The following day, Anil alias Bhola, 51, a resident of Raghubir Nagar in Delhi, was arrested, with 501 grams of heroin allegedly recovered from his Mahindra XUV-700.During subsequent investigations, police traced the suspected source of supply to Lucknow. Bablu, 35, a resident of Bareilly, was arrested during the October 4 raid on the Jankipuram facility.The seizure included 2.504kg of sodium, 787 grams of acetic anhydride, a gas cylinder, a mixer grinder, utensils, a tub, polythene, an electronic weighing machine and other articles allegedly used in manufacturing heroin.Based on information obtained during questioning, investigators subsequently arrested Ruksar Ali alias Raju, a Bareilly resident who police suspect was the principal supplier and owner of the facility.He was apprehended after police pursued him for approximately 120kilometres, according to officials.Police said the investigation has uncovered an alleged supply-and-manufacturing chain extending across Uttar Pradesh and Delhi-NCR, with the accused suspected of performing different roles involving supply, transportation and production.Anil is reportedly a proclaimed offender and parole jumper in an earlier narcotics case registered at Bhalswa Dairy police station.Police said Bablu and Ruksar Ali also have previous involvement in cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.The initial interception led to the registration of an FIR under the NDPS Act at Begumpur police station. Further investigation is underway to establish the alleged network’s complete supply chain, financial transactions, procurement of chemicals and involvement of other suspects.
