New Delhi: Two suspected members of a drug cartel were arrested and three kilograms of heroin worth more than Rs 12 crore was seized from them, police said today.

Licences were issued to certain farmers in Bareilly and Badaun for cultivating opium but many others indulged in its illegal cultivation since there is huge profit involved, they said.

The Special Cell had learnt that the kingpin of the cartel, Riyaz, a resident of Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, would procure the contraband drugs from the persons cultivating the opium illegally. He processed it into pure form of heroin and later transported it to Delhi, UP, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab through carriers, police said.

Some of the key members of the cartel, who delivered the consignments to Delhi, were identified, they said.

On January 10, the police learnt that Savej (20), a member of the cartel, would come to Anand Vihar bus depot to supply a huge consignment of drugs to a Delhi-based drug dealer.

He was nabbed with two kilograms of fine quality heroin, said Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell).

Savej told the police that Asiq Ali (36) and Riyaz, his partners, were still in possession of a large quantity of heroin. He provided specific leads about their whereabouts in Bareilly, he said.

A team was rushed to Bareilly to nab Ali and Riyaz. On January 10, raids were conducted at the hideouts of Ali and he was nabbed. One kilogram of heroin along with mobile sets and SIM Cards were seized from him, said the officer.

He said the efforts are on to nab Riyaz.  PTI