PUNJAB POLICE MAKES BIGGEST OPIUM RECOVERY OF DECADE; TWO HELD WITH 66KG OPIUM FROM FAZILKA

— POLICE TEAMS ALSO RECOVER ₹40K DRUG MONEY, SWIFT CAR AND TRACTOR FROM THEIR POSSESSION

— PUNJAB POLICE COMMITTED TO MAKE PUNJAB A DRUG FREE STATE AS PER DIRECTIONS OF CM BHAGWANT SINGH MANN

— METICULOUSLY FOLLOWED UP FINANCIAL TRAIL LEADS TO FREEZING OF ₹1.86 CRORE IN 42 BANK ACCOUNTS, SAYS DGP GAURAV YADAV

— SSP Fazilka Dr. Pragya Jain identifies the big fish behind this syndicate and conducts raids to nab him.

CHANDIGARH/FAZILKA, June 28:

          In one of the biggest opium seizures of a decade amidst the ongoing war against drugs launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Fazilka Police has busted an Inter-state Opium smuggling syndicate operating from Jharkhand with the arrest of two big drug smugglers after recovering 66kg Opium kept concealed in a specially designed and fabricated compartments fitted underneath their Maruti Swift car, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Friday.

Arrested Individuals and Seized Items:

          Those arrested have been identified as Sukhyad Singh alias Yad of village Dalmir Khera and Jagraj  Singh of village Bhamma Singh Wala in Ferozepur. Apart from recovering big haul of opium, Police teams have also recovered Rs 40000 drug money, 400 grams gold from their possession, besides, impounding their Swift car (PB 05 AC 5015) and a Tractor.

Financial Investigation Unearths 42 Bank Accounts

    DGP Gaurav Yadav stated that further financial investigation and meticulous follow-up in this case have unearthed 42 bank accounts used for financial transactions by the organized opium syndicate. “In less than 24 hours of following the financial trail, the Fazilka Police have frozen all 42 bank accounts containing a whopping Rs 1.86 crore of drug proceeds,” he said.

          The DGP said that the Fazilka Police has also initiated the process of property forfeiture under 68F of the NDPS act. Further investigations are on to trace the forward and backward linkages, he added.

       Operation Details:

Sharing operation details, SSP Fazilka Dr. Pragya Jain said they received reliable inputs about the arrested accused persons. They are habitual transporters of opium from Jharkhand and were expected to return via Sri Ganganagar to Dalmir Khera in a swift car carrying a substantial quantity of opium.

Police Action:

Acting swiftly on these inputs, SHO Raman Kumar and his team established a Nakabandi on the Abohar-Ganganagar road at Bus Stand village Sappan Wali. Under DSP Arun Mundan’s supervision, they intercepted the specified vehicle.

Despite the driver’s attempt to flee, the police apprehended both suspects and recovered 66kg opium and Rs 40,000 drug money. One police officer sustained injuries during the chase.

SSP Dr. Pragya Jain stated that police identified the main syndicate leader, involved in smuggling for over two decades and facing at least nine criminal cases. “We have nominated him in the FIR and are conducting raids to arrest him,” she said.

The police at Khuian Sarwar Station registered case FIR No. 71 on 26.06.2024 under sections 18, 27A, and 29 of the NDPS Act.