5 more drug peddlers linked to Shah syndicate arrested
The Shimla police have arrested five more associates of the notorious Shah syndicate, an interstate drug network involved in supplying chitta (heroin) across Shimla and northern India.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Shekhar Thakur (32), Santosh Kumar (33), Arvind Gupta (32), Abhishek Verma (28), and Manish Thakur (34), all residents of Shimla district. They were working as drug peddlers for the syndicate and were nabbed from different locations following a thorough investigation.
Shimla Superintendent of Police (SP) Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi confirmed the arrests and stated that the police have so far busted around 45 drug peddlers linked to the network, including three women. He further added that efforts are underway to identify more operatives and revoke bail requests for repeat offenders previously booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The crackdown follows the arrest of Sandeep Shah, the mastermind behind the syndicate. A former software engineer, Shah was apprehended in Kolkata on January 16 and airlifted to Shimla. He had been running an extensive drug racket for three to four years, operating in areas like Rohru, Kotkhai, Jubbal and Theog. His associates reportedly lured youngsters into the drug trade, turning them into conduits for the syndicate.
During the ongoing investigation, police have identified around 400 individuals linked to the drug network. Authorities are intensifying efforts to dismantle the syndicate completely and curb drug trafficking in the region.
