Division Number 1 police arrested two men for drug peddling and recovered 2.7kg opium from their possession on Wednesday, while the kingpin of the gang managed to escape.
The accused are related to each other and used to smuggle opium from Hapur, Uttar Pradesh and supply it in different parts of Punjab.
The arrested accused have been identified as Harjinder Singh alias Jindu, 40, of Hapur and Jagtar Singh, 26, of Amritsariyan Di Dhani of Amroha village. The kingpin of the drug supply chain is Dalwinder Singh of Amroha of Uttar Pradesh.
Dalwinder is brother-in-law (sister’s husband) of Jagtar Singh, while Harjinder Singh is his uncle.
Additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP) (City 1) Pragya Jain said the police arrested the accused from the Clock Tower when they were coming from Domoria Bridge in a Ford Endeavour SUV.
“The police stopped them for checking. On searching, the police recovered opium from a bag hidden in the gearbox of the SUV,” he added.
“During questioning, the accused told the police that only Dalwinder knows where to deliver the consignment. He had promised to give them ₹30,000 for bringing the opium to Ludhiana from Hapur,” said the ADCP.
“Dalwinder had alighted from the vehicle near Khanna stating that he would come to Ludhiana in a passenger bus and asked them to meet near the railway station. The arrested accused also told the police that Dalwinder used to procure opium and smuggle it further. They work as a courier for him,” added the ADCP.
{{/usCountry}}“Dalwinder had alighted from the vehicle near Khanna stating that he would come to Ludhiana in a passenger bus and asked them to meet near the railway station. The arrested accused also told the police that Dalwinder used to procure opium and smuggle it further. They work as a courier for him,” added the ADCP.
{{/usCountry}}Division Number 1 station house officer sub-inspector Harjit Singh said a case under sections 18C, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against the trio.
Harjinder owns a dhaba in Hapur, while Jagtar is a truck driver. The SUV belongs to Harjinder. A hunt is on to nab Dalwinder.
The police are also investigating the previous criminal record of the accused.