New Delhi: A scrap dealer, who allegedly used to steal imported metal from container trucks in connivance with the drivers and then sell it in open market to make easy money, has been arrested, police said today.
The accused, identified as 30-year-old Iqbal alias Bhure, was arrested by Crime Branch of Delhi Police on April 11 and 25 ton of imported Zinc worth Rs 40 lakh has been recovered from him along with a container and the truck-trailer, a senior police official said.
The consignment was supposed to be delivered at Mathura in Uttar Pradesh.
Recently, one Gajender Singh, owner of a UP-based cargo company reported that on April 7, he had dispatched a container containing 25 ton of imported metal (Zinc) in his truck to Mathura, UP.
The container was supposed to reach at its destination by April 8, but instead of delivering the goods, the truck driver Mushahid along with his associates misappropriated the goods.
A case was registered at Surajpur police station of district UP`s Gautam Budh Nagar. Local police, along with the complainant was searching for the missing container and the driver.
"On April 11, Crime Branch got a tip off that one Iqbal, who has expertise in breaking the containers in connivance with truck drivers, would come along with a trailer with loaded goods near Ghazipur Flyover, NH-24, Delhi to sell the stolen metal to some prospective buyer," said Ravindra Yadav, Addl CP (Crime).
A trap was laid and a decoy customer was sent to strike a deal with Iqbal and he was nabbed.
During interrogation, Iqbal told police that the recovered container was to be delivered at Mathura but he along with the truck driver Mushahid misappropriated the goods to sell it in open market to make easy money.
"Modus operandi of the accused was simple yet unique. He used to mix-up with the truck drivers and offered them hefty amount for misappropriating the goods contained in the container.
"After taking out the goods from the container, it was sold to various junk dealers and the empty container along with the trailer was left abandoned on the roadside," said Yadav.
In the present case, the container driver Mushahid, who hails from Badaun in UP was offered a handsome amount by Iqbal, he said, adding efforts were being made to apprehend the driver and other such drivers.
