The Ludhiana unit of the special task force (STF) claims to have unearthed a cross-border smuggling ring with the recovery of 2.17 kg heroin from two men, including a city-based spare parts manufacturer.
The accused had hidden the heroin in a compartment near the battery of a mini-truck.
They have been identified as Kamaljit Singh, 32, of Kabir Nagar, Daba, and Bhupinder Singh Bhinda, 42, of Amar Nagar. The gang’s kingpin, Rajveer Singh Gill of Amar Nagar, is at large.
Kamaljit owns a motorcycle spare parts manufacturing unit in Ludhiana, while Bhupinder is a truck driver.
Inspector Harbans Singh, in-charge, Ludhiana STF unit, said following secret information, the mini-truck was stopped for checking near the vegetable market on Jalandhar Bypass on Saturday.
On searching the vehicle, 2.17kg heroin was found hidden in a secret compartment, which the accused confessed to procuring from the border area in Amritsar.
Gang’s kingpin a history-sheeter
The inspector said the gang of three had been smuggling drugs for the past three years. “Rajveer used to fix deals with drug suppliers, while Kamaljit and Bhupinder used to bring the consignments and hand them over to Rajveer, who further supplied it to customers,” the cop added.
Rajveer was previously arrested by the Kapurthala police with 1kg heroin in June 2020. He was lodged in Kapurthala jail, but got bail after around two months. Following his release, he returned to drug smuggling, and included Kamaljit and Bhupinder in his gang.
“The STF is probing how the accused managed cross-border smuggling. They also have links with drug peddlers lodged in jails,” the inspector said.
“Rajveer has a total of three drug smuggling cases against him. The criminal record of the other two accused is being probed,” he added.
A case under Sections 21, 29, 27, 25, 61 and 85 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been lodged against the accused at the STF station in Mohali. The accused were produced in court and sent to three-day police remand. More revelations are expected from them during questioning.
