Jalandhar, October 10, 2018: Intensifying its drive against the drug peddlers, Counter-Intelligence Wing has arrested two brothers, who were indulged in smuggling opium from Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Rajasthan to Punjab by concealing the drugs under bundles of iron bracelets (Karha) in Santro Zing car.
The accused have been identified as brothers namely Manpreet Singh (29) and Kamaljeet Singh (33), residents of village Warpal in Amritsar.
Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Counter Intelligence HPS Khakh said that the recovery from the accused is part of follow up investigation of earlier International drug smuggling racket- which was involved in sending contrabands to Canada via Courier services by hiding it in big cooking woks (Kadhahi) and the same was busted by his wing.
He said that his team was consistently working to trace the local suppliers of the international drug smuggling network and got the that two brothers namely Manpreet Singh and Kamaljeet Singh, residents of village Warpal, Amritsar, were smuggling drugs for the past several years and integral part of international smuggling networks.
AIG said he received a tip-off from reliable sources that both were moving in white Santro Zing (PB02-BG-8677) on GT Road (Phillaur-Goraya) and were carrying huge quantity of opium hidden under bundles of iron bracelets.
AIG said that the information was immediately shared this information to Jalandhar Rural SSP Mr Navjot Singh Mahal following which a joint team of Goraya Police Station and Counter Intelligence formed.
"Then, police party laid a special checking on GT road to apprehend these smugglers and stopped a white Santro car for checking which was being driven by Manjit Singh and Kamaljeet was adjoining seat. During frisking, the sleuths seized two packets of opium weighing 7.5 kg from the car and took them into the custody. A case was registered against them in Police Station Goraya under section 18, 25/61/85 NDPS Act", AIG added.
He disclosed preliminary investigations reveal that the accused were running a small manufacturing unit of Bracelet along with their father who got expired in 2009.
Khakh further stated that they use to sell these 'Karras' in various religious fairs as well supplying to different Gurdwaras up to Shri Hazur Sahib Nanded.
"Further, Manpreet came into contact of truck drivers during a tour to Shri Hazur who told him that as he often visits these areas of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, he could procure opium and could earn good money by selling it in Punjab"
"Then in lure of easy money, both started smuggling opium and poppy husk from Mandsaur in MP to Punjab by hiding it under clothes. In 2010, Manpreet was also arrested by Rajasthan Police in Chittorgarh when he was coming to Punjab in a bus carrying 500-grams of opium and sent to jail.
Later, he got bail in this case and when he went to Chittorgarh for trial in the court, he bought opium and sold the contraband in Punjab. Later, he sentenced to six years imprisonment in that case and again sent to jail. There he met one Rajesh who introduced him to new smugglers to procure opium" added AIG.
Revealing about modus operandi, Khakh told in 2016, they purchased a Santro Zing (PB 02BG 8677) and made two cavity boxes under the rear seat of the car and started smuggling opium by hiding it in these boxes. They used to keep iron bracelets (Karra’s Sikh Kakkar) on the seats to show as they were going to sell or deliver these iron bracelets to Gurdwaras."
AIG Khakh further told that Counter-Intelligence is keeping a strict vigil on smugglers who used to supply drugs to International syndicate, when Opium and Ketamine drugs hidden in two cooking woks (kadhais) soldered together, seized from the international racket planning to courier it to Canada.
He said that wing has initiated a special drive to check drug peddling in the district on the directions of the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and the wing has been making all-out efforts to eliminate drugs from the state.