3.5 quintal of poppy husk seized, 3 held

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 13

In a major drug haul, the Counter-Intelligence wing of the police busted an inter-state drug smuggling racket and recovered 3.5 quintals of poppy husk hidden under onion bags in a truck in Phillaur. The counter-intelligence wing also arrested the three accused: Nishan Singh (40) alias Shana of Dhuri, Raghbir Singh (40) and Hardeep Singh (47) of Moga district.

The fourth accomplice, Jaswinder Singh alias Kaka Gill of Moga, managed to flee from the spot.

AIG Counter-intelligence HPS Khakh said the wing was keeping a close vigil on the activities of drug smugglers and received a tip-off today.

A large haul of drug consignment was being supplied in a truck (registration number PB29-AZ-7767) from Madhya Pradesh by Moga-based drug kingpin Jaswinder Singh, who is said to be involved in the smuggling of poppy husk from MP.

He said acting on the input, the information was shared with the SSP, Jalandhar Rural, Navjot Singh Mahal, following which a joint team of the counter intelligence wing, Jalandhar, and the SHO, Phillaur, was formed and the team moved for a search in the area to seize the drug consignment and apprehend the smugglers.

Khakh said the police party laid a special check at the Tehang octroi post and stopped the truck coming from the SBS Nagar district side, in which three persons were sitting along with a driver when the police party stopped the truck for checking. The AIG added that after spotting the cops, a person fled from the spot and the remaining three persons were apprehended.

“During a checking of the truck, the police party seized 3.5 quintals of poppy husk hidden under 480 loaded bags of onions in the truck and a case was registered against them at the Phillaur police station under sections 15/61/85 of the NDPS Act,” the AIG added. Khakh further informed that the accused would be taken on police remand to interrogate about the entire module of the racket and other persons involved in the network.