Heroin haul Palampur police nab accused, seize cash & jewels

Palampur police raided a residential house on the outskirts of the town late last night, recovering 34 gm of heroin, Rs 4.5 lakh in cash, two electronic weighing machines and gold ornaments. One person, allegedly involved in smuggling heroin for the past few months and supplying it to local youths, has been arrested.

Addressing the media, Palampur SHO Bhupinder Singh Thakur said acting on a tip-off, the police conducted the raid and found the accused in possession of the narcotics. The accused has been identified as Mohit, a resident of Punjab, who was living in a rented house along with his mother. His mother, who is also suspected to be involved in the trafficking network, managed to escape moments before the raid.

The SHO said further interrogation of the accused is underway and efforts are being made to identify the suppliers who provided the heroin. He reiterated that the police remain committed to cracking down on drug peddlers and will take strict action against all those involved.

Thakur added drug trafficking has become a challenge in the region. To address it, the police have launched a district-wide campaign to dismantle the drug mafia. In the past two months alone, 12 cases have been registered under the NDPS Act and the IPC. Last year, a 70-year-old woman was arrested from Bindravan village for trafficking chitta.