Woman peddler among three held with 1kg ICE

PK Jaiswar

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Amritsar, July 20

The police have seized 1 kg ICE, 2.45 kg heroin and 520 gm precursor pseudoephedrine and arrested three persons, including woman drug peddler Daljit Kaur (42), who is a resident of Kot Khalsa. Gurbax, alias Lala (27), and Arshdeep Singh (21), both residents of the Chheharta area, were arrested for drug trafficking two days ago.

Ice seizure on the rise

• Seizure of ICE, also known as crystal meth or methamphetamine, is on the rise in Punjab
• The is the 17th seizure reported this year. Around 17 kg Ice has been seized in 2024 so far, while the last year cops had confiscated 1.04 kg
• From January 2017 to December 31, 2022, cops had seized 48 kg ICE, of this 20 kg was confiscated in Ludhiana in 2022
• Pak smugglers are reportedly pushing ICE into Indian territory as heroin supply from Afghanistan has reduced

What is Ice?

• ICE is generally smoked, injected or swallowed. It is a stimulant, which speeds up the messages travelling between the brain and body and can be highly dangerous
• Illicitly manufactured meth is usually made by combining ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, which is mixed further in solvents like gasoline and heated to crystallise

DGP Gaurav Yadav said Gurbax was the kingpin of the racket. “Daljit Kaur was arrested by the police with 50 gm heroin on June16. A disclosure by her led the police to Arsheep Singh from whom the police seized 200 gm heroin. Following further investigation, the police arrested Gurbax following an operation under the supervision of Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Dr Darpan Ahluwalia. The police seized 1 kg ICE, over 2 kg heroin and 520

gm precursor pseudoephedrine from his possession,” the DGP said.

Amritsar Police Commissioner Ranjit Singh Dhillon said Gurbax had five criminal cases against him and he was in and out of the jail in Gurdaspur and Amritsar. He was out on bail since March this year. He said his links were also traced and raids were being conducted to arrest them too.

Arshdeep, who faces a case under the NDPS Act, was out on bail since March last year. He said Gurbax was sourcing precursor chemical and adulterated crude heroin to increase its effect, besides manufacturing crystal ICE, a party drug. He used to earn a commission of Rs 50,000 per consignment.

Due to the Punjab Police’s persistent fight against drugs, which is resulting in breaking the supply chain of drugs, smugglers are now resorting to local manufacturing of synthetic drugs, like ICE, using precursor chemicals to fill the vacuum. The Taliban in Afghanistan has also put a ban on production of opium, which is also a reason behind paucity of heroin supply.