Drugs network busted, 4 nabbed in border belt

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 31

In a major breakthrough, the city police on Wednesday busted a drug-peddling network active in border areas from Pathankot to Ferozepur. The police have arrested four persons and confiscated a foreign-made pistol, three bullets, a Hyundai Verna car with fake registration number plates and fake passports.

Those arrested were identified as Sarmail Singh and Gurjant Singh of Mehndipur in Khemkaran area, Gaurav Singh of India Gate, Chheharta, and Mahabir Singh of Kalia Saktara village in Valtoha.

Sarmail was the kingpin of the gang who was planning to flee to a foreign country as the police found a fake passport from his possession.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Abhimanyu Rana, who is investigating the case, said raids were on to nab their accomplices whose names cropped up during their preliminary interrogation. Sarmail and Gurjant had criminal cases, including under NDPS Act, registered against them in Kapurthala, Tarn Taran and Ferozepur. Gaurav has a case under the Arms Act registered against him. Sarmail was also wanted in a contraband case in Ferozepur district. He had remained in jail for four years before coming out on bail and reactivating his network.

According to information, the four accused were held following a tip-off that they were in the area to meet someone allegedly for striking a drug deal. They were travelling in a car and stopped near the bus stand. The police recovered two fake registration number plates from the car, besides a foreign-made pistol and fake passports.

Police sources said Sarmail got the fake passport from a gang in Delhi and the police were conducting a probe to identify the racket behind it. The police took his passport into their custody after registering criminal and NDPS cases against him.