LUDHIANA/KAITHAL: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted an international drug smuggling racket which may be run from Africa and is linked to Sahnewal of Ludhiana. In the operation 62 kg heroin including 6 kg heroin has been confiscated from Kaithal in Haryana, valued at around Rs 434 crore, as well as more than Rs 50 lakh in cash from Delhi, Ludhiana’s Sahnewal and Haryana.
So far three people have been arrested in this case. While one person has been arrested by the Delhi DRI, the two from Sahnewal were apprehended by the Ludhiana DRI and produced before the duty magistrate on Wednesday, who granted his transit remand to the Delhi DRI.
Agency officials have remained silent about the details, but sources say that the Ludhiana and Delhi units of DRI seized 55 kg of heroin from 330 trolley bags that arrived at the Air Cargo Complex, Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi from Uganda.
The smugglers had hidden the heroin by making holes in the metal tubes of 126 sacks. The consignment was imported in the name of an importer from Delhi, but it was passed on to Raman and Navjot, two businessmen of Sahnewal, who are said to have been in direct contact with the sender. Sources say that the latter is believed to be of Punjab origin living in Entebbe (Uganda) and suspected of running the network for several years.
Following the seizure of trolley bags in Air Cargo Delhi, DRI officials on Tuesday evening raided a shop in Sahnewal from where the duo used to sell footwear, clothing and accessories. Even used to sell trolley bags used to smuggle heroin from abroad. During the search of the shop and their other premises, the DRI officials seized 1 kg of heroin and cash worth over Rs 15 lakh.
Sources in the DRI told TOI that the gang running this drug racket had a network of dealers and peddlers, supplying heroin imported from abroad to Punjab and other states, and the DRI is working to identify all the other accused. Investigations are going on who are part of this nexus. , Meanwhile, both Raman and Navjot are important links in this entire chain. It is learned that they formed a part of the ring to collect money to fulfill their dream of settling in Canada.
In Kaithal, DRI and Haryana Police on Wednesday recovered 6 kg heroin worth Rs 42 crore and Rs 33.84 lakh in cash from Kharka village in Kaithal district from open market. As soon as the accused, identified as Baljinder alias Kala, got wind of the raid, he fled. According to Kaithal SP Maqsood Ahmed, the DRI team reached the spot at around 11 pm and raided Baljinder’s house where they found a heroin packet. Prima facie it appears that the banned substance was brought from Ludhiana in Punjab. The accused had kept 12 packets in a box in his house to supply at different places.