Two held with 4kg heroin, ₹2.6 lakh after hot chase
TARN TARAN : Police on Sunday busted a heroin smuggling module with the arrest of two of its members after a 20km chase near Manawala village in Amritsar.
The police said the accused were chased down in Amritsar after they dodged cops at a checkpoint in Tarn Taran. The police recovered 4kg of heroin, two pistols of .45 bore, 10 rounds and ₹2.6 lakh drug money. A Hyundai Vera car in which the accused were travelling has also been impounded.
Those arrested have been identified as Surjit Singh and Gagandeep Singh of Dhun Dhai Wala village falling under the Chohla Sahib police station.
Addressing a press conference, Tarn Taran senior superintendent of police (SSP) Gurmeet Singh Chauhan said the police got a tip-off that Surjit and his brother Gurlal, who have been facing several criminal cases, were running a drug smuggling racket by changing their identities.
“Acting on the information, a team of the crime investigation agency (CIA) wing led by inspector Prabhjit Singh set up a checkpoint near Safipur village situated on the Tarn Taran-Jandiala road. The police team noticed a car that suddenly changed its route. The police started chasing the vehicle and managed to intercept it at Manawala village in Amritsar. On search, heroin, weapons and drug money were recovered,” the SSP said.
Surjit and Gagandeep are facing seven and five criminal cases, respectively. These include attempt to murder and under the NDPS Act, the SSP said. Raids are on to nab their accomplice Gurlal Singh, who was declared a proclaimed offender in three criminal cases, the SSP added.
A police official privy to the investigation said the accused were getting heroin from across the border. A case under the NDPS Act, Arms Act and the Indian Penal Code has been registered at the Tarn Taran (sadar) police station.