An army constable, his girlfriend, and an accomplice were arrested in Delhi's Kalindi Kunj for smuggling 18 kg of opium worth Rs 1 crore in an SUV on Thursday. The constable, Godhu Ram, had been absconding from the army for nine months, using his leave to facilitate the drug operation
File pic.
An army constable, his girlfriend, and an accomplice were arrested in Delhi's Kalindi Kunj area on Thursday for smuggling opium worth Rs 1 crore in an SUV, an official stated.
The arrested constable, Godhu Ram (31), had allegedly been on the run from the Indian Army for the past nine months, using his leave period to facilitate opium smuggling from Manipur to Rajasthan and Delhi-NCR, the official said.
The trio was intercepted in their SUV near Kalindi Kunj on July 7, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Aalap Patel, adding that a concealed consignment of 18 kg opium was recovered from their possession.
"The gang had modified the vehicle by creating secret compartments beneath the floor mats to discreetly transport the contraband," Patel added.
During the search, the police team also recovered a licensed 0.32 bore pistol with six live cartridges from the vehicle. Both the SUV and the weapon were registered in Ram's name, he confirmed.
The arrests followed a tip-off received by Delhi Police's Special Cell (Southern Range). Acting on the information, a trap was laid near Agra Canal Road in the Kalindi Kunj area on July 7.
"On spotting the vehicle, the team swiftly cordoned it off and apprehended all three occupants. Upon checking, 18 packets of high-grade opium were recovered, hidden beneath the car's floor mats," the DCP added.
A case under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was registered at the Special Cell Police Station, New Delhi.
According to investigators, the seized consignment was procured from a supplier based in Manipur and was intended for distribution across Delhi-NCR, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
Initial interrogation revealed that the accused were part of a well-organised supply chain, using the cover of personal travel to avoid detection.
Police stated that none of the three accused have any prior criminal records.
Further investigation is underway to identify the larger network and the source of procurement.
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