Mohali STF sleuths arrest drug peddler

Tribune News Service

Mohali, June 23

Special Task Force (STF) sleuths claimed to have arrested a drug peddler and recovered 51 grams of heroin and Rs 45,000 drug money from him here today.

The suspect has been identified as Manpreet Singh, a native of Sirsa in Haryana. At present, he is residing in Dhakoli, Zirakpur. He was produced before a court which sent him to one-day police custody.

STF DSP Rajan Parwinder Singh said following the orders of STF AIG Harpreet Singh, a team led by Assistant Sub-Inspector Avtar Singh Sohi laid a check-post at the airport crossing. They intercepted a man riding a blue Yamaha motorcycle bearing registration number HR-24-Q-9841. During the search, the police recovered 51 grams of heroin and Rs 45,000 drug money from him.

DSP Rajan said during his preliminary interrogation, he told the police that he hailed from Sirsa and was living in a rented accommodation in Zirakpur. He was working as a cab driver. Three months ago, he came in contact with a person, Sonu, at a dhaba in Zirakpur.

The suspect further told that Sonu was a drug addict as well as a drug peddler. He used to purchase heroin from Delhi for Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,100 per gram and used to sell for Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 per gram here.

Finding it easy to make quick money, Manpreet, a cab driver-cum-real estate agent, said he also tried his hands at this trade and brought heroin. He found that it was a profitable business. He started selling drugs to his customers in Chandigarh, Zirakpur, Mohali and Kharar. He came back to Zirakpur three months ago from Sirsa after getting married and was living here for the past two years.

The police said Manpreet had been taken on remand after being booked under Section 21-61-65 of the NDPS Act at the Phase IV STF police station, Mohali.