STF arrests two, seizes 66-kg opium

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 16

In two separate cases, different wings of the police recovered 72 kg of opium and arrested three persons in this regard.

On Friday, the Special Task Force of Ludhiana Range arrested two persons traveling in an SUV and seized 66 kg of opium allegedly from their possession. The suspects have been identified as Gurdev Singh (40) from Odisha and Tejinder Singh, also known as Monu (32), from the Agwar Dala area in Jagraon.

STF in-charge, Ludhiana Range, Inspector Harbans Singh, stated that the suspects were nabbed near Sahnewal when they were travelling in an SUV from the Doraha side towards Ludhiana. He claimed that they were involved in the smuggling of opium, which they used to bring from UP and Jharkhand to sell in different parts of the state. When their vehicle was inspected at a checkpoint, 66 kg of opium was seized, he said.

Harbans Singh said a case under Sections 18 and 29 of the NDPS Act had been registered at the STF police station, Sohana, Mohali, on Friday. During questioning, Gurdev said in addition to being involved in the sale-purchase business of vehicles, he had also been indulged in opium smuggling for the past five years and was also addicted to opium.

The STF in-charge said Tejinder, a truck driver, had been involved in opium smuggling for the past four years. He was also addicted to opium. During interrogation, both suspects revealed that they had procured the recovered opium from Dheeraj of Varanasi in UP for Rs 1.10 lakh per kg and they had to further sell it at a cost of Rs 2 lakh per kg to their customers.

In the other incident, the police arrested a 35-year-old man and recovered 6 kg of opium allegedly from his possession. He has been identified as Gurdeep Singh Gogi, a resident of Daulatpur village in Moga district.

DCP (Investigation) Jaskaran Singh Teja said a case under Sections 18, 18C-61-85 of the NDPS Act had been registered at the Dehlon police station against the suspect. The team of the anti-narcotics cell-1 of the police had received information about Gurdeep, who was apprehended near Sayan Chowk, in the jurisdiction of the Dehlon police. When the car in which the suspect was travelling in was searched, 6 kg of opium was seized, the official said.

The man will be presented in court to seek his police remand for further interrogation.

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