Smuggler held with 5-kg opium, 30-kg poppy husk

The Ludhiana police claimed to have nabbed a drug smuggler and recovered 5.060 gm of opium and 30 kg of poppy husk from his possession.

The suspect was identified as Jagmel Singh, alias Happy (42 ), a resident of Balara Bana village in Samrala.

Jaskiranjit Singh Teja, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rural), Ludhiana, Jashandeep Singh Gill, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone-4, Inderjit Singh Boparai, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Industrial Area A, and Inspector Bhupinder Singh addressed a press conference in this regard.

Teja while addressing the media said on February 24, a police team was present near Shiv Chowk when information was received that Jagmel Singh, alias Happy, Taranpreet Singh of Tibba village, Ludhiana, who were involved in drug smuggling, used to bring poppy husk and opium from outside states at cheap prices and sell it at high prices in Ludhiana. As per information, Jagmel was coming to Transport Nagar in a canter, carrying a large quantity of opium and poppy husk for Taranpreet Singh and Happy, residents of Tibba.

Acting on the tip-off, a naka was laid at a strategic point and after intercepting the canter, its driver Jagmel was detained. The police searched the canter and recovered 5.060 gm of opium, 30 kg of crushed poppy seeds hidden in a cabin of the vehicle. Jagmel was arrested on the spot, the DCP said.

He claimed that a police team was conducting raids to nab the remaining two suspects, Taranpreet Singh owner of the vehicle, and Happy. More important revelations were likely to be made after the suspect was produced in a court and the police remand was obtained.

During interrogation of Jagmel, it has been revealed that the owner of the canter was Tarunpreet. Jagmel was hired as a driver for the canter three months ago. Tarunpreet is the uncle of Happy. The three suspects used to bring poppy husk and opium from other states in the canter at a cheap price and sell it at a high price in the city and its adjoining areas.

As per the plan orchestrated by the canter owner, Jagmel loaded bicycles from Ludhiana in the canter on February 17 to be delivered at Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh) and after unloading the cycles there, he returned from that area and loaded empty plastic bottles in the canter. Acting on instructions of Tarunpreet, Jagmel obtained opium, which was wrapped in a plastic envelope, and poppy husk, which was in a plastic bag, from an unidentified person from Mansore town in MP and brought it to Ludhiana by hiding the same in the canter. Now, further questioning of the suspect would lead the police to big suppliers of MP involved in drug smuggling, said the ACP.