Rs 19.26 lakh hawala money, currency counting machine seized from shopkeeper

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, May 15

Following the interrogation of a drug peddler, the Amritsar (Rural) police have seized huge amount of hawala money along with a currency counting machine. The racket was part of a Pakistan-based trans-border weapons and drug supplier module headed by a smuggler known by the name Qasim Dhillon.

The police have arrested a shopkeeper identified as Manik Arora, a resident of Chand Arora, in this connection. He was produced in a court which sent him to two-day police remand for further investigation.

Satinder Singh, SSP, Amritsar (Rural), said the police seized Rs 19.26 lakh from Manik’s possession. Preliminary investigation revealed that he sent around Rs 1.12 crore of unaccounted cash to his Delhi-based accomplices in seven rounds after getting instructions on virtual numbers by his handlers. The police also seized a currency counting machine from his possession.

According to information, the Gharinda police nabbed two drug peddlers identified as Akashbir Singh of Naushehra Dhalla in Tarn Taran and Banty of Khaparkheri village in Amritsar. The police had confiscated 510 grams of heroin, a bike and a mobile phone from their possession. They had links with Qasim Dhillon who had sneaked in the contraband with the help of drones into the Indian territory.

Akashbir’s questioning led the police to Manik Arora. He had an undergarments shop at the IDH market near bus stand. He used to get instructions from his handlers on virtual numbers. He collected the money and later handed it over to his Delhi-based accomplices.

“Investigations are in progress to identify Delhi-based persons involved in the racket. Besides, the police have started the process to identify properties acquired by suspects from the ill-gotten money of drug trade and hawala racket,” the SSP said. These properties would be freezed during further course of investigations, he said.