When drug peddling is all in the family

According to Asad Farooqui, DCP (Narcotics), even marriages are arranged within the drug-peddling family network to boost the business. For instance, the Narcotics Branch arrested Mangna, a 40-year-old widow, from Rohini, on January 31 this yearand recovered 200 gm of heroin from her. She had reportedly got her daughter married into a family also involved in drug peddling. The girl’s father-in-law, Ganeshi, and brother-in-law, Suresh, had allegedly gone to jail several times in drug-related cases.

Last year, the police arrested the elusive drug peddler, Kiran. She reportedly sold around 50 gm of heroin everyday in the Hanuman Mandir area in Connaught Place and operated with the help of her two husbands.

Nanaki Devi, a 75-year-old doddering widow, allegedly peddled drugs for several years in the North-West district along with her daughter and son-in-law until the racket was busted last year. She had apparently even hired a three-wheeler and its driver to help increase her mobility.

DCP Farooqui claims, it is difficult to nab a drug peddler, when the entire family is involved as utmost secrecy is maintained. Drugs usually go through several hands before they reach the addict and when the channel is manned by one family, there is absolutely noinformation leakage. Earnings from the trade also remain within the family.

In the case of 20-year-old Manoj, a school drop-out, the accused confessed his family was not interested in his education as they made huge gains from the drug trade. The police claim, family engaged in drug peddling may take up another profession and work under its guise. Many drug peddlers pose as liquor smugglers, as it is easier to get away with respect to the Excise Act. Drug peddling implies imprisonment of up to a minimum of 10 years. The maximum drug-peddling activity areas in the Capital are Yamunapushta, Paharganj, Rohini, Mangolpuri, Jahangirpuri, Ambedkar Nagar and Lajpat Nagar.