5 held with 1.5 kg heroin, ₹7.80 lakh drug money
Amritsar police also seize 2 pistols and a car from the suspects who allegedly worked at behest of two jailed criminals
AMRITSAR : With the arrest of five persons, the Amritsar city police claimed to have busted a module operating a high-profile network of heroin smuggling in Punjab from the Faridkot and Amritsar jails.
Rs 7.80 lakh in drug money, 1.5 kg heroin, two pistols of .32 bore and a Hyundai i-20 car were recovered from the accused identified as Harbhej Singh, alias Jawanda (22), Sunil Masih (21), Lovepreet Singh, alias Happy (26), Jugal Kishor (30) and Vishal from different villages in Amritsar district, the police said.
Two electronic scales for weighing heroin were also seized from the suspects.
The police said the five men were working at the behest of two jailed criminals —Narinder Singh, alias Nindi and Rajinder Singh, alias Ganja who are lodged in the Faridkot and
Amritsar jails.
The arrested accused have already sent Rs 20 lakh from the heroin proceeds.
“A team of the crime investigation agency (CIA) intercepted a vehicle at a checkpoint at the Vallah bypass after getting a tip-off. Harbhej, Lovepreet, Jugal and Vishal are already facing several criminal cases, including that of murder, attempt to murder and drug peddling. They are linked to Nindi and Ganja,” said Amritsar police commissioner Vikram Jeet Duggal during a press conference.
A case was registered under the sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Arms Act against the accused at the Makboolpura police station.
Deputy commissioner of police (investigation) Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar said Nindi has been into drug smuggling for a long time.
“Both Nindi and Ganja will be brought on production warrant to find out where the heroin was being smuggled from.”
Another police official said, “The arrested men were supplying the heroin at Rs 25 lakh per kg. We are also working to nab those whom they were supplying the contraband.”