Pinki Saini/Derabassi/Mohali
The state-wide drive against narcotics and drugs, launched as per the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and DGP Punjab Gaurav Yadav, achieved a major breakthrough when SAS Nagar Police under the guidance/directions of DIG Ropar Range Harcharan Singh Bhullar, busted two interstate drug-smuggling modules who were supplying narcotics in Punjab with the arrest of five Uttar Pradesh based drug suppliers/smugglers and recovered 8.5 kgs of opium in total, said Sh. Deepak Pareek, IPS, SSP SAS Nagar.
The busted modules were based in Shahjahanpur and Aliganj of Uttar Pradesh. The duo arrested from the Shahjahanpur module have been identified as Dharm Singh, a resident of Rampur Ben in Shahjahanpur district, and Om Prakash Verma, a resident of Jalalabad in the same district.
Those arrested from the Aliganj module include Manish Kumar, a resident of Aliganj in district Bareilly,
Kamal and Kamal Verma, both residents of Amroli in Bareilly district.
The teams led by SHO Dera Bassi, SHO Handesra and Sub-Inspector Surjeet Singh (In-charge, Narcotics Cell, SAS Nagar), worked on the leads and successfully intercepted the white Ertiga driven by Shahjahanpur module members at Nagla Morh, Handesra, leading to their arrest and the recovery of 4 kg of opium contraband/narcotics. Meanwhile, the red Mahindra TUV, driven by Aliganj module members, was intercepted on College Road, Dera Bassi resulting in arrests and recovery of 4.5 kg of opium contraband yesterday, said SSP.
Sharing the operational details, SSP Pareek stated that yesterday i.e. on December 9, an input was received about members of two different drug modules in possession of opium traveling from Uttar Pradesh towards punjab in a red Mahindra TUV and a white Maruti Ertiga. Acting swiftly, two special teams were formed under the supervision of SP Mohali (R) Manpreet Singh, DSP Dera Bassi Bikramjit Singh Brar and DSP Zirakpur Jaspinder Singh.
The teams led by SHO Dera Bassi, SHO Handesra and Sub-Inspector Surjeet Singh (In-charge, Narcotics Cell, SAS Nagar), worked on the leads and successfully intercepted the white Ertiga driven by Shahjahanpur module members at Nagla Morh, Handesra, leading to their arrest and the recovery of 4 kg of opium contraband/narcotics. Meanwhile, the red Mahindra TUV, driven by Aliganj module members, was intercepted on College Road, Dera Bassi resulting in arrests and recovery of 4.5 kg of opium contraband yesterday, said SSP.
Divulging further details, the SSP said that during preliminary interrogation of Shahjahanpur module's operatives, it was revealed that they were being handled by Ankit Verma, a resident of Shahjahanpur and were procuring and transporting large quantities of contraband in Punjab on his instructions. Meanwhile Aliganj module operative Manish disclosed that he procured drug consignment from Aliganj, Uttar Pradesh to distribute further in Punjab.
Two below mentioned FIRs have been Registered.
1. FIR no 69 dated 09.12.2024 u/s 18, 29-61-85 NDPS Act PS Handesra
2. FIR No. 363 dated 09.12.2024 u/s 18, 29-61-85 NDPS Act, PS Derra Bassi
Their handlers have been nominated in the FIR, while further investigations based on forward and backward linkages are ongoing to unravel the whole drug network and apprehend their associates, added SSP.