With the arrest of six foreigners, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) claimed to have busted an Afghan-Nigerian heroin cartel active in Delhi and its peripherals.

The NCB also recovered over 8 kg heroin estimated to be worth Rs 30 crore in the international market from the possession of the accused.

According to a senior NCB official, four Afghan and two Nigerian have been arrested over the past few days by the NCB in separate raids.

The first arrested by NCB was an Afghan who arrived at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi from Kandahar.

Two other men from Afghanistan were subsequently held and it was found that the three were carrying 253 heroin pellets in their body.

"The trio led to another Afghan who was supposed to take the delivery from them," said a senior NCB official. 

Two Nigerians, part of the Afghan-Nigerian drug cartel, were also apprehended from Vasant Kunj and Uttam Nagar areas.

"This successful operation is a result of increased focus of NCB on international drug networks especially Afghan heroin supply network who are working in collaboration with Nigerian drug traffickers.

It has been noticed that heroin, originating mainly from Afghanistan is

smuggled to other parts of the world by various modes of concealment in baggage, various items and as in this case swallowed by drug mules," said SK Jha, the Deputy Director General (Northern Range), NCB.

"Further investigation in coordination with foreign authorities is being conducted to identify other persons involved in the illicit drug syndicate," Jha said.