Drug network spanning UP, Jharkhand, Punjab busted, 3 held with 2kg opium

Tribune News Service

Advertisement

Jalandhar, August 10

In a significant operation against drug trafficking, the CIA team of Jalandhar (Rural) police successfully uncovered an inter-state opium racket, leading to the arrest of three individuals and seizure of 2 kg of opium from them.

The arrested suspects have been identified as Usma Khan, from Atroli, Aligarh district, Uttar Pradesh, Junaid Ansari Ahmid, and Adarsh Kumar, both residents of Majh Gawan village, falling under the Bisarat Gang police station, Bareilly district, Uttar Pradesh.

The suspects were arrested in the Lambra area, where the police intercepted them and recovered the contraband. While addressing mediapersons Harkamal Preet Singh Khakh, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Jalandhar (Rural), highlighted the concerted efforts of the police to curb drug smuggling in the region. The SSP said, “Special police teams have been constituted across all subdivisions of Jalandhar (Rural) under the supervision of gazetted-rank officers to intensify the crackdown on drug smugglers.”

Acting on the information, a police team led by CIA Inspector Pushap Bali under the supervision of DSP (D) Lakhvir Singh laid nakas near Rampur Laliana on Lambra Road, the SSP said.

The arrested suspects confessed to procuring opium from Jharkhand at a price of Rs 2,60,000 per kg with the intention of selling it further for Rs 3,00,000 to their clients. Upon its further sale, the suspects expected to earn Rs 7,000 each.

An FIR No. 80 was registered on Friday under the NDPS Act at the Lambra police station against the three suspects, the SSP added.

The SSP said this operation had exposed a crucial link between drug suppliers in Jharkhand and distributors in Uttar Pradesh, highlighting the inter-state drug trade. He said “The police are now focusing on uncovering the broader network involved in the illegal trade.”

He said arrested individuals would be presented in court for seeking their police remand to further investigate the network. The focus would be on tracing both forward and backward links, with an aim of dismantling the entire supply chain and apprehending other key players involved in the illegal trade, the SSP said.