Key man behind smuggling of 487 kg cocaine in Germany, held in Punjab
Key man behind smuggling of 487 kg cocaine in Germany, held in Punjab
Chandigarh, The kingpin of the 487 kg cocaine smuggling case in Germany has been arrested by the Punjab Police in a joint operation with central agencies, a top police officer said on Saturday.
Simranjot Singh Sandhu, 30, was arrested after leads police got from local drug smugglers Beant Singh and Sukhdeep Singh who were nabbed with 1 kg heroin on June 16.
At their instance, police booked one Mandeep Singh, who is presently based in the USA, and Simranjot Singh Sandhu, who was allegedly searching for heroin buyers in Punjab at Mandeep's directions, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said.
The DGP termed Sandhu the lynchpin of an international drug cartel, and wanted in Germany for several drug offences.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that Sandhu played a major role in smuggling drugs in India and other European countries, he said.
Inspector General of Police Headquarters Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill said police arrested Sandhu a native of Gokhuwal village in Batala from Bhaloor village in Moga.
Sandhu had gone went to Germany in 2002 and worked as a taxi driver.
{{/usCountry}}Sandhu had gone went to Germany in 2002 and worked as a taxi driver.
{{/usCountry}}Between March 2020 and June 2020, he stored and transported at least 487 kg cocaine, 66 kg marijuana and 10 kg hashish. The contraband was supplied from Brazil and other South American countries and landed at the port of Hamburg Germany.
{{/usCountry}}Between March 2020 and June 2020, he stored and transported at least 487 kg cocaine, 66 kg marijuana and 10 kg hashish. The contraband was supplied from Brazil and other South American countries and landed at the port of Hamburg Germany.
{{/usCountry}}Sandhu used to communicate through encrypted mobile app 'Encrochat', through which the drug network was unearthed by the Germany Police, the IG said.
{{/usCountry}}Sandhu used to communicate through encrypted mobile app 'Encrochat', through which the drug network was unearthed by the Germany Police, the IG said.
{{/usCountry}}Sandhu was convicted for eight years and six months under the Narcotic Drugs Act by a German court on February 28, 2022, but he fled to Dubai in July 2023 and then came to India in September 2023.
{{/usCountry}}Sandhu was convicted for eight years and six months under the Narcotic Drugs Act by a German court on February 28, 2022, but he fled to Dubai in July 2023 and then came to India in September 2023.
{{/usCountry}}The IG said over these 11 months, Sandhu stayed at various places, including Amritsar, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, and Moga to evade arrest.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.