CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested two drug peddlers, who are brothers and wanted in 260 and 356 kg heroin seizure cases registered by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in Mumbai and Delhi respectively.
The first case is in connection with 260 kg of heroin worth Rs 1,500 crore seized from Kandla port in the Kutch district of Gujarat in April 2021 while the other case pertains to 354 kg of heroin worth Rs 2,500 crore that was transported from Mumbai to Delhi in hidden containers in July 2021.
In a presser, Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said that the duo have been identified as Manjit Singh, alias Manna and Lavjit Singh, alias Lav, both residents of Guru Ki Wadali in Chheharta of Amritsar district. Both were absconding since 2015 and had a dozen cases registered against them under the NDPS act, the DGP added.
Their three accomplices, identified as Kans Kaur of Chheharta in Amritsar, Harmanjit Singh, alias Harman and Manpreet Singh, alias Manna, residents of village Dhun Dhahewal in Tarn Taran, have also been arrested with the recovery of 3 kg heroin and Rs 5.25 lakh lash from their possession, the senior police officer said.
The accused Manjit and Lavjit had fake passports, with the receiving from Lucknow passport office and Lakhimpur Kheri as the residential address, and were planning to flee the country. The duo were also involved in a Hawala network, the DGP said.
Sharing more details, Amritsar Commissioner of Police (CP) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said following a tip-off of their associate Harmanjit alias Harman was preparing to supply heroin after picking up the consignment from them, a police team led by Inspector Amolakdeep Singh intercepted a car in which Harman was travelling and arrested him 2 kg heroin and Rs 1.25 lakh cash.
With Harman’s arrest, police nabbed both the accused brothers and their remainingaccomplices Manpreet and Kans Kaur after recovering 1 kg heroin and Rs 4 lakh cash.
Following their arrest, a case was registered under sections 21-C, 27-A and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in Hakima in Amritsar.
Further investigations are underway to unearth the entire drug cartel and nab the accused involved in it, he added.
Fake passport
The duo, residents of Amritsar district, was wanted in 260 and 356 kg heroin seizure cases registered by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in Mumbai and Delhi respectively. They had a fake passport with the residential address of Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh and were planning to flee the country. Both were absconding since 2015 and had a dozen cases registered against them under the NDPS act.