Drug ‘queen’ ruled multi-crore empire

NEW DELHI: She had charisma, loads of ill-gotten money and land worth crores. And she lorded over a multi-crore drug empire, which she single-handedly built. What helped were her excellent sources in the police force spread across three states and her uncanny knowledge of the Delhi-UP topography till Bareilly. But Kusum (40) finally walked into a police trap last week.
The special unit of the crime branch led by additional DCP Joy Tirkey arrested her from Sultanpuri in Outer district and also seized at least 500gm of heroin worth Rs 50 lakh in the open market. The police have also unearthed an elaborate drug manufacturing unit deep inside her village in Bareilly. Opium would be bought from Orissa-based Maoists, processed into heroin and pumped into the capital’s drug circuit.
“Earlier, we nabbed Kusum’s gang members, but she managed to give the slip. This time round, we have arrested her on a specific tip-off,’’ said Tirkey.
“Kusum was subjected to intensive interrogation and we found that she was buying heroin from one Ashraq in Bareilly. We raided his hideouts in UP but he managed to wriggle out. We have now decided to reward anyone who can inform us about Ashraq,” said DCP (crime) Ashok Chand.
Police sources said Kusum preferred to operate across her several hideouts in northwest Delhi. She owns several properties across the city, mostly in semi-rural areas like Mongolpuri, Sultanpuri and Paschim Vihar, where her men keep strict vigil on any impeding police raid. “We might attach her property,” said a cop.