Seven days after the special task force (STF) arrested a smugglers’ gang with 6kg heroin worth Rs 19.71 lakh from a naka in Amritsar on Thursday, it was learnt that the accused had allegedly supplied around 93kg contraband over a year in Punjab.
It was alleged that the four gang members, including a woman, used to smuggle heroin from Pakistan. The accused were identified as Nishan Singh, Baldev Singh, Harmesh alias Kali and Krishna Kumari of Ferozepur district. The STF sources claimed, the alleged kingpin of the gang, Shammi of Ferozepur is lodged in Amritsar jail. They said, “Shammi has links with Punjab’s most wanted gangster Vicky Gounder.”
“During the investigation it was leant that Shammi was backing up Gounder for operating fearlessly from inside the jail. He had threatened the police of dire consequences if arrested,” said a senior official.
The gang allegedly had delivered most consignments in Amritsar district and nearby areas.
“It has come to fore that the gang recently delivered two consignments to Gounder’s gang. A 14kg consignment was delivered to Shera, a Gounder gang member, in September and 25kg heroin was delivered to Pehalwan, another gang member of Amritsar in October on Shammi’s directions,”the officer said.
{{/usCountry}}“It has come to fore that the gang recently delivered two consignments to Gounder’s gang. A 14kg consignment was delivered to Shera, a Gounder gang member, in September and 25kg heroin was delivered to Pehalwan, another gang member of Amritsar in October on Shammi’s directions,”the officer said.
{{/usCountry}}He said, “The gang operated on the directions of the smugglers in Pakistan.”
After the arrest, STF recovered 500gm heroin from Shammi’s house in Ferozpur. Meanwhile, the teams are raiding at the possible hideouts of the absconding gang members, including Gurjant Singh.
Assistant inspector general of police with the special investigation team (SIT) Rashpal Singh had claimed that Gurjant along with an accomplice managed to flee from the spot while the STF special task force was involved in an encounter Shammi in Tarn Taran on September 29.
Sources said, Gurjant fled from the spot with Rs 1crore and contraband.
When caught, the accused — Nishan Singh, Baldev Singh, Harmesh alias Kali and Krishna Kumari were on a motorcycle and a scooter. Krishna is Shammi’s sister. So far, 7kg heroin and Rs 55 lakh have been seized from the gang.The smugglers supply drugs to the consumers in Punjab and neighbouring states.
The accused according to Rashpal Singh was suspected of importing drugs from the riverine areas between Ferozepur to Amritsar.