HeroinBust – Fugitive Drug Network Operative Returned to India From Azerbaijan

HeroinBust – Delhi Police and central agencies have secured the return of a key suspect linked to one of the country’s major heroin seizure cases.

Delhi Police’s Special Cell, working alongside the Central Bureau of Investigation, has brought back alleged narcotics operative Prabhdeep Singh from Azerbaijan in connection with a massive heroin trafficking investigation involving the seizure of 358 kilograms of the banned substance. Officials confirmed the extradition on Wednesday after legal procedures between the two countries were completed.

Authorities said Prabhdeep Singh had been evading arrest since 2023 and was traced to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. A three-member team from the Special Cell travelled there to escort him back to India after the extradition request was approved.

Investigators Link Accused to International Drug Syndicate

According to police officials, Prabhdeep allegedly handled operations in India for an overseas-based drug trafficker identified as Navpreet Singh, also known as Nav. Investigators believe Navpreet was operating from Turkey and coordinating activities through associates in India.

Police sources stated that Prabhdeep played a central role in maintaining communication between the foreign-based handler and other accused individuals involved in the case. Authorities had earlier recovered 333 kilograms of heroin from two suspects, Gurpreet Singh and Gurjot Singh, during different phases of the investigation.

Officials described the accused as an important link in an organised cross-border narcotics network that allegedly stretched across multiple Indian states and had foreign connections.

Case Emerged After Intelligence Inputs in 2021

Deputy Commissioner of Police Pankaj Kumar Tripathi of the Special Cell said the investigation began in 2021 after law enforcement agencies received intelligence regarding a suspected drug trafficking operation active in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.

The probe initially focused on Rizwan Ahmed, also known as Rizwan Kashmiri, who was suspected of running parts of the network. On July 5, 2021, police arrested him in Delhi’s Ghitorni area while he was allegedly delivering one kilogram of heroin.

During questioning, Rizwan reportedly disclosed that he had been acting under instructions from an Afghan national identified as Isha Khan, who investigators claimed was operating from Afghanistan at the time.

Raids Led to Massive Heroin Recovery

Based on the information gathered during interrogation, police teams carried out raids at multiple locations in Faridabad. During the operation, Gurpreet Singh and Gurjot Singh were taken into custody, and officials claimed to have recovered 236 kilograms of heroin from the hideouts.

The investigation later expanded further when another Afghan national, Hazrat Ali, was arrested in Gurugram. Authorities said he was found carrying two kilograms of heroin along with nearly 100 kilograms of chemicals believed to be used in heroin processing and production activities.

Investigators also uncovered alleged links between the accused through earlier prison interactions. Police said Gurpreet Singh had reportedly met Navpreet Singh inside Kapurthala Jail in Punjab, where both had been lodged in separate cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

Eleven Arrested So Far in Expanding Investigation

With the extradition of Prabhdeep Singh, the total number of accused arrested in the case has reached eleven. Those already taken into custody include Rizwan Ahmed, Gurpreet Singh, Gurjot Singh, Hazrat Ali, Ramandeep Singh, Hardev Singh, Manjit Singh, Prabhjit Singh, Lovejit Singh alias Labba, and Manjeet Singh alias Manna.

Officials said the investigation remains active as agencies continue examining the international connections and financial trail linked to the narcotics syndicate. Law enforcement agencies are also working to identify additional associates who may have been involved in the procurement, transportation and distribution of heroin across different regions.