37 held, 81 booked for drug smuggling in Tarn Taran

In a crackdown on drug trade, Tarn Taran Police have arrested 37 persons and registered cases against 81 persons for smuggling of contraband since Friday evening. Police claim that over a two dozen of those booked have been in contact with Pakistanbased elements for smuggling of heroin and weapons. The department has recovered 1.3 kg of heroin, 605 intoxicated tablets, 400-kg lahan (raw material used to prepare liquor) and Rs 4,650 in drug money.

One of the booked accused is Iqbal Singh, alias Shera of Havelian village, which is notorious for drug smuggling. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had also tagged him as wanted in Hizbul Mujahideen narco-terrorism case that was registered by Amritsar police with the recovery of Rs 29 lakh drug money. The NIA has also put a bounty of Rs 2 lakh on Shera.

Shera is among six persons booked under sections 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property), 414 (assisting in concealment of stolen property) of the IPC and Sections of the NDPS and Arms Act at Sara-E-Amanat Khan police station. The other five accused are Sukhbir Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Nirvail Singh, Manjodh Singh and Jobanjit Singh of Havelain village.

“They have links with Pakistan based smugglers. They all have Pakistani mobile phones and SIM cards. By using these mobiles, these accused are getting the smuggling of smack, heroin, pistols and other weapons from the neighboring country,” reads the FIR, registered on the basis of a tip-off.

Eighteen accused were booked at Khemkaran police station. Three of them—Chamkaur Singh of Mehndipur, Samsher Singh of Khemkaran and Satnam Singh of Chakwalia village—have been arrested with 110gm heroin. Police claim that all of them used a Pakistani SIM card for smuggling of heroin, opium, fake Indian currency and weapons.

SSP Dhruman H Nimbale said there had been a direction from DGP Dinkar Gupta to intensify the campaign against the drug peddlers. He said district police have prepared a list of 356 individuals who are suspected to be involved in the business.

“Over a dozen raiding teams have been formed to nab all those accused who have been booked so far. More persons will be booked and arrested. Our crackdown will continue for the next few days,” he added.