Jalandhar, December 30- In another major strike against drug peddlers, Counter Intelligence Wing of Punjab Police foiled attempt of pushing drugs to Punjab from Kashmir and seized 8.56 quintal poppy husk from a truck hidden under 1020 boxes of Kashmiri Golden Apples.
The wing has also arrested one accused Munish Kumar (30) s/o Kamal raj r/o village Fatehgarh in district Pathankot from a Gazal Dhaba Pachranga in Bhogpur town of Jalandhar.
In a press release, AIG HPS Khakh said that due to Panchayat elections, police parties were deployed in the rural areas for the special checking to keep vigil on the distribution of drugs which can be used to lure the voters.
Mr Khakh told that the wing received a tip-off the owner of Gazal Dhabha namely Jasvir Singh of Pachranga and Majhar Shah r/o Rajouri district were involved in illegal trade of poppy husk and big drug consignment is being supplied by them in a truck bearing registration number (PB05L5949) and a Tata safari number (PB08AP0027) in Bhogpur.
AIG said that acting swiftly on input, he immediately shared the information with SSP Jalandhar Rural Mr Navjot Singh Mahal, and a joint team of Counter Intelligence Wing and Bhogpur Police Station formed and the team moved to seize the drugs and arrest the smugglers.
Mr Khakh added that on spotting the cops, Jasvir and Majhar managed to flee away from the spot after leaving Tata Safari at the spot but the team apprehended truck loaded with drug consignment and arrested truck driver Munish Kumar from the spot.
“During frisking, Police seized 8.56 quintals poppy husk hidden under the boxes of apples. A case number 201 has been registered against them under Section 15 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) in Police Station Bhogpur”, he told.
Revealing about the racket, AIG said that this was operated by some drug lords lodged in jails including Gurjant Singh alias Jand of Daulewal Moga, Balbir Singh alias Panju of Mehtpur Jalandhar and Harwinder Singh through their counterpart Jasbir Singh (owner of Gazal Dhaba Pachranga) and other associates outside the jail.
From the Initial interrogation of Truck driver Munish Kumar, he said it has come to notice that he along with Jasvir and Majhar procured this consignment from Nazir r/o Sopore town, Jammu and Kashmir and they loaded Kashmiri apples for a fruiterer at Bus stand, Gondal town of, Gujarat besides the drug was to be delivered at Gazal Dhaba, Pachranga of Jalandhar.
He said it is first time surfaced that involvement of any Dhaba owner with the drug peddlers.
AIG further stated that the detailed investigation is underway and police parties are out to arrest Jasvir Singh and Majhar shah.
He said that arrested accused Munish Kumar would be produced in the court and would be taken on police remand to get more information about the involvement of smugglers lodged in jails and they would also be taken on production warrants from the court in this case.
It is pertinent to mention here that it was third major drug haul seized in this month by Counter-Intelligence wing Jalandhar from Pathankot- Jalandhar Highway.
Earlier In this month, the wing had seized two big consignments in the area of Phillaur and Phagwara in which heavy quantity of drugs was recovered from the trucks.
He also added that during last one and half year in its drive to make Punjab a drug free state, the wing had seized 4kg 750 gram Ketamine, 2kg 330grams Heroin, 21 KG Opium, 230 Quintals Poppy Husk, Rs 9,28,500 drug money, 10 pistols along with 50 live Cartridges from drug smugglers.