E-Paper
Heroin haul in Mumbai: Two accomplices of Tarn Taran importer held from MP
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence suspects that the contraband was to be smuggled into Punjab and other parts of India from a godown in Madhya Pradesh
Amritsar Two more accomplices of Tarn Taran-based importer Prabhjit Singh have been arrested from Madhya Pradesh (MP) by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in connection with the seizure of 293-kg heroin from Nhava Sheva Port in Mumbai last week.
The DRI, in coordination with the Customs, had examined two containers imported by Tarn Taran-based firm M/s Sandhu Export, from Afghanistan via Iran. The containers, which were declared as cargo of semi-processed talc stones, had 700 gunny bags. Of these gunny bags, six (three from each container) contained a cremish white substance of slightly rough texture. On close examination, these six bags were found to be filled with 293.81kg of heroin.
The DRI sources said Prabhjit has a godown in Shivpuri district of MP where the consignment was to be taken from the port. “We have arrested two persons belonging to Tarn Taran district from the godown. They are accomplices of Prabhjit and had been working in MP at his behest. It is suspected that the contraband was to be smuggled into Punjab and other parts of India from the godown,” said sources. (HT has the audio recording of a DRI official). They, however, didn’t disclose the identity of the two arrested men.
A case under Sections of the NDPS Act has been registered against the duo accused by the DRI’s Indore zonal office. They were also taken to Mumbai on transit remand from Indore.
Sources said Prabhjit, who is on transit remand till July 12, has ‘confessed’ that he was aware that about the heroin smuggling in his consignment. “We have also identified some local suspects, who had been in contact with Prabhjit for the running of the operation. They are cunning persons and have been evading arrest. Our teams are working to nab them,” the source added.
Prabhjit had ordered a similar container of talc stones in January 2020, which was taken to the MP-based godown. “We have searched the godown, but have not found anything. We suspect that there is a possibility of heroin being smuggling into the country in January 2020, via a cargo ship, which has now been removed from the godown,” the sources added.
“In Mumbai, Prabhjit’s mobile phone and other gadgets have been sent for forensic examination. It has been found that he was regularly calling numbers in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is likely that the king-pin of the racket was operating the network from Pakistan or Afghanistan,” the sources added.
A senior DRI official said their investigation was in right direction and they would break the entire nexus in the coming days. The DRI has also called nearly a dozen people who had been contact with Prabhjit Singh from Chohla Sahib village.
Earlier, Tarn Taran police had said they had traced Prabhjit’s links with a family of Dhun Dhae Wala village in Tarn Taran, which is notorious for drug smuggling. Tarn Taran police have also sought property details of Prabhjit and his family from the revenue department.
