STF nabs 4 crossborder smugglers with 6kg heroin
A Special Task Force (STF) nabbed four members of a gang of cross-border smugglers with 6-kg heroin and ₹19.71 lakh from a naka in Amritsar on Thursday late night.
AMRITSAR: A Special Task Force (STF) nabbed four members of a gang of cross-border smugglers, including a woman, with 6-kg heroin and Rs 19.71 lakh from a naka in Amritsar on Thursday late night. The kingpin of the gang, Shammi, of Ferozepur is in Amritsar jail and is allegedly continuing to operate from jail and speaking regularly to his contacts in Pakistan, assistant IPG with the SIT, Rashpal Singh, has claimed.
When caught, the accused — Nishan Singh, Baldev Singh, Harmesh alias Kali and Krishna Kumari of district Ferozepur — were on a motorcycle and a scooter. Krishna is the sister of Shammi, who was jailed after a 30-minute encounter in Tarn Taran on September 29. Another jail member, Gurjant Singh, is absconding. So far, the SIT has seized 6.5-kg heroin and `55 lakh from the gang.
“All arrested accused belong to the gang operational by Shammi and Nirwail Singh of Ferozpur. The latter is currently lodged in Faridkot jail. Shammi is in Amritsar jail. The gang deals with the Pakistan smugglers and imports drugs and arms in India. They supply the drugs to the consumers in Punjab and neighboruing states. As per the information, they have already supplied around 100 kg heroin in various parts of Punjab and neighbouring states,” said Rashpal Singh, a member of the SIT. He said that accused are suspected of importing drugs from the riverine areas between Ferozepur to Amritsar.
“To operate, they use foreignmade cell phones and use only WhatsApp for calling. We will also identify and nail police officials involved in giving access to phone to Shammi in jail,” he added. Sources said police had failed to act against gang, even as information was shared several times with it. The SIT comprised Rashpal Singh, assistant IGP, STF, border range, Amritsar and other officials including DSP Kirpal Singh, inspector Sukhwinder Singh, inspector Arun Sharma, SI Prabhjit Singh and SI Sinder Singh.
1-KG HEROIN SEIZED IN FEROZEPUR
FEROZEPUR: The Border Security Force (BSF) seized 1kg of heroin and a Pakistani sim card from a border outpost under the Ferozepur sector on Friday.
Following a tip-off, BSF men of the 105 battalion conducted a search operation in area of the Mohamdiwala border outpost and recovered the contraband SIM Card (Warid telecom) wrapped in white polythene and buried in soil ahead of the fence.
KINGPIN ARRESTED ON SEPTEMBER 29 AND LODGED IN AMRITSAR JAIL, YET HE CONTINUES TO OPERATE AND SPEAK TO CONTACTS IN PAKISTAN, SAYS SIT