Sirmaur police seize Rs 2.72 crore assets in drug racket crackdown

Sirmaur police have intensified their crackdown on narcotics traffickers, leading to a series of significant breakthroughs. Under a special anti-narcotics campaign, police teams have successfully apprehended several major drug dealers in recent days, recovering commercial quantities of contraband and dismantling critical supply chains.

In one such case, on April 7, the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of Sirmaur police received a tip-off about a man named Besu Ram, a resident of Nainidhar in Shillai tehsil, allegedly involved in selling cannabis. The police intercepted him near Jamli rain shelter in Shillai and seized 2.105 kg of charas along with Rs 39,700 in cash from his possession. An FIR was registered at Shillai police station under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the accused was taken into custody.

During interrogation, Besu Ram confessed that he had procured the consignment from Deep Ram, a resident of Gumath village of Koti-Bounch panchayat. Following this lead, the police arrested Deep Ram on April 12 and included him in the ongoing investigation.

Considering the gravity of the case, a special investigation team was constituted to conduct a detailed financial probe under Chapter V-A of the NDPS Act. Upon completion, the police forwarded their findings to the competent authority under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, 1976, NDPS Act and Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988. Approval was granted to seize/freeze the accused persons’ illegally acquired assets worth Rs 52 lakh, including multiple bank accounts and four vehicles.

In addition to this, in three separate cases, Sirmaur police have already seized illegal assets worth Rs 95 lakh, Rs 70 lakh and Rs 54 lakh. With these actions, the total value of assets seized in four cases has reached Rs 2.72 crore.