New Delhi, June 10: Drugs seizure figures with the Narcotics department of Delhi Police indicate the volume of seizures in the Capital might have dipped over the past couple of years.

In 2005, over 9,629 kilogramme of narcotics substance was seized in various operations carried out by agencies like the Narcotics Control Bureau, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Delhi Police etc.

The corresponding figures for 2006 indicate that the trade through Delhi might have dipped. In various seizures, the figures in 2006 add up to 6,378 kilogramme.

 Indian and/or Pakistani Hashish Houses have been family
 run concerns for years

The most noticeable departure in seizure has been seen for hashish. While 1,662 Kg hashish was seized in 2005, the quantity of seizure dipped to 598 Kg in 2006. Seizure of ganja has also dipped from 7,759 Kg in 2005 to 5,458 Kg in 2006.

There has, however, been an increase in the seizure of heroin and opium. Heroin seizure has increased from 194 Kg to 288 Kg while opium seizure has increased from 13.5 Kg to 34 Kg.

Indian Coast Guard seizes hashish/cocaine

Seizures In 2007
In the first four months of this year, Delhi Police claims it has seized almost 73 gram cocaine, which is almost three times the seizure during the corresponding period last year. Between January 2006 and April 2006, the Delhi Police's narcotics branch had registered two cases and arrested four persons for carrying 25 gram cocaine. In comparison, the branch registered six cases this year and arrested 10.

As far as heroin is concerned, enforcement agencies have seized about 70 kg Afghani heroin valued at about Rs 70 crore in the international market this year. Heroin smuggling through Central Asia is likely to jump this year due to an excess opium harvest in Afghanistan, according to Tajikistan's drug control agency and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Out of this 70 kg, nearly 40 kilogramme has been seized by the DRI.
The agency arrested two people with 20 kg high quality Afghani heroin worth about Rs 20 crore near the Delhi-Haryana border in March this year. Another 20 kg was seized from Amritsar a few days later.

Delhi As Transit Point
The rise or dip in seizures, police say, may not be a trend but just a routine fluctuation. "The figures of seizures do not necessarily indicate whether trade of narcotics has increased or dipped. Invariably, it happens that enforcement agencies, which are already short-staffed, may concentrate on a particular drug's trafficking, which may affect the seizure of other contraband," said a DRI official.
The volume of seizure does not necessarily indicate that contraband that is being seized in the Capital is meant for consumption here.

"Delhi is used both as a market as well as a transit point for drug trafficking. It's only drugs like cocaine which are very costly and are smuggled from South American countries which is only brought for consumption to the Capital," said a senior NCB official. Cocaine costs around Rs 3,000-4,000 per gram. In 2005, about 790 gram was seized in the Capital from various drug traffickers, which dipped to half a kilogram in 2006.

Where It Comes From
"Cocaine is produced in South American countries like Peru, Columbia, Bolivia. Nearly 75 per cent of the cocaine that comes to the Capital originates from this region. The drug is, however, not transported directly from there but through other countries like some neutral ports in South Africa," said a Delhi Police officer.

In comparison, heroin, which is available at Rs 4-5 lakh for a kg, is locally made in India in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and MP. "It is not very expensive and has a concentration of pure heroin between 5 to 30 per cent," said the officer. About one third of heroin comes from Afghanistan via Pakistan (which is pure).

The heroin is then brought to the Capital from border areas by carriers, who are paid an exorbitant amount. In a recent seizure, DRI officials found that men were recruited from a border village near Amritsar and the carriers were paid nearly Rs 50,000 for carrying one kg heroin to the Capital. "These carriers do not know much about the kingpins in this trade. They are just asked to follow directions," a DRI official said.

From scrap dealer to most dreaded druglord
He is one of the most notorious druglords Delhi has seen in last two decades.
Sharafat Sheikh started as a scrap dealer and went on to become one of the most dreaded drug dealers.

He is presently in Tihar, undergoing trial under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act following his arrest by the Delhi Police Crime Branch in 2005.

Sharafat has been into drugpeddling for many years, say police. Sheikh is said to be behind 90 per cent of drug trade in Delhi. He also emerged as one of the biggest diamond merchants in Delhi and managed to carve out a Rs 100 crore empire since he came from Bihar in 1985.

He has one case of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Prevention) Act registered against him. He has 27 other criminal cases against him and has been arrested at least 19 times.

Sharafat, who started by washing utensils in a Nizamuddin guesthouse, managed to build an empire running into several crores. He has a mansion in west Nizamuddin called Bihar House, another one by the same name in Mumbai, a bar in Mumbai, a house in Punjabi Bagh, two automobile showrooms in Uttam Nagar, another hotel in Uttam Nagar besides several other properties in the two cities.

He had a unique modus operandi and employed Bangladeshi youngsters.

"He purchased stolen items from them. Over a period of time, he initiated them into drug consumption and gave them drugs in return for the goods. Once they were hooked to drugs, they started working for him and Sheikh made them work as per his wishes," said a Delhi Police officer.

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