Police, drug controller bust oxygen cylinder smuggling racket

In the largest haul yet in Gurugram, police recovered 260 oxygen cylinders from three person who were caught selling them at exorbitant rates on Wednesday in Sector 68

In the largest haul yet in Gurugram, police recovered 260 oxygen cylinders from three person who were caught selling them at exorbitant rates on Wednesday in Sector 68. Police said this was part of a 500-cylinder consignment that they had brought from Maharashtra to sell in the Covid-hit city.

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Police said the suspects, Vikas Kumar (32) and Shiv Kumar (33) from Karnal and Prabhat Kumar (31) of Uttar Pradesh, sold 150 type-D cylinders (46.7 litres) for over ₹34,000 each in the last two days. The market price of the cylinder is around ₹7,000.

According to the police, the Gurugram drug controller received a tip on the operation on Tuesday. A joint team of the drug controller and police a raided Aklimpur village in Sector 68.

KK Rao, commissioner of police, said, “They sold the cylinder from their canter. They had brought 500 oxygen cylinders on Wednesday, out of which 20 were filled and sold the same day along with 150 empty cylinders. The suspects sold 70 empty cylinders on Tuesday.”

Rao said Prabhat had arranged the cylinders after the demand for it increased in the city amid the coronavirus crisis. “We are were carrying out drives against black marketeers across the district and more than 10 people have already been arrested,” he said.

Amandeep Chauhan, district drug controller, said that they have activated their sources across the city to share the leads of people involved in black marketing Covid medicines and oxygen cylinders. “We are yet to verify the vendor from whom they had bought these cylinders. We will coordinate with Mumbai Police and will share information regarding the gang smuggling oxygen cylinders,” he said.

Police said the suspects were produced before the court on Wednesday and were taken on a three-day police remand.