Wanted drug trafficker with Rs 5,000 bounty nabbed after two years

The crime branch of the local police has arrested a man wanted in a drug peddling case involving Rs 50 lakh, registered two years ago. The accused, who carried a reward of Rs 5,000 on his head, is the fifth person arrested in connection with the case under the NDPS Act, 2022.

Crime branch in-charge Deepak Gulia said the accused, identified as Tarif, a resident of Mohlaka village in Nuh district, was arrested by a police team near Utawar village last night.

Tarif had been absconding since September 2, 2022, when the police seized 304 kg of narcotics (ganja patti) during a vehicle check near Bahin village. The drugs, concealed in cotton bundles, were being transported in a truck from Tamil Nadu to Nuh district.

Four others involved in the racket — Shaukeen, the truck driver, Tarif (another resident of Punhana village in Nuh) and Zuber and Zunaid from Mohlaka village — had already been arrested and sent to jail.

During Shaukeen’s arrest, the police discovered he possessed a fake driving licence, which was allegedly prepared by Tarif. They also recovered two laptops, a scanner, seven fake registration certificates, eight fake driving licences, several rubber stamps and Rs 2,500 in cash.

The investigation led to the arrest of the third and fourth accused in August this year. Gulia stated that the probe into the drug racket is ongoing, and further arrests cannot be ruled out. The accused will be taken into police remand for further interrogation, he added.