40 kg heroin hidden in apple boxes seized

STF HAD LAID A NAKA ON LUDHIANACHANDIGARH ROAD AFTER A TIPOFF

LUDHIANA : A team of the special task force (STF) on Sunday seized 40 kg heroin concealed in apple boxes at a checkpoint at Kirti Nagar on the Ludhianachandigarh road here.

“The accused has been identified as Gurlal Singh alias Lali, 30, of Manjh village in Amritsar. He was carrying the contraband in a Maruti Swift car. The heroin was wrapped in 40 packets of 1kg each,” said STF assistant inspector general Snehdeep Sharma.

A case under relevant sections of the NDPS Act has been registered against the accused at the Moti Nagar police station.

A special checkpoint was set up by sub-inspector Harbans Singh and his team after a tip-off, said the AIG. “The accused was coming from Jamalpur side in his car. On seeing the police party, he tried to escape by reversing his car but was nabbed him,” he added.

“On search, the STF found four apple boxes in his car. The accused said they were a gift for his friend. When the STF team opened the cartons, they found heroin that was hidden under the apples,” added Sharma.

During preliminary investigations, the accused told the police that he had got the consignment from Pakistan. “The accused has links with crossborder smugglers and used to contact them on Whatsapp . He is using an overseas number for the purpose,” said the AIG.PUNJ