NCB busts Ludhiana-based international drugs syndicate, 2 Afghans among 16 held
New Delhi/Mohali, January 9
The ongoing probe into drug rackets in Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh and Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar led the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to bust an international drug syndicate linked to Punjab, Pakistan and Afghanistan, the agency said today.
The NCB, in a statement, said it had succeeded in busting the “entire chain” of an international drugs syndicate, which was being operated from Ludhiana in Punjab, with the arrest of 16 persons, including two Afghan nationals, and seizure of about 60 kg of contraband and a cache of arms and ammunition over 45 days.
Shaheen Bagh, Muzaffarnagar drug probes led to Punjab cartel
n April 22, 2022: Narcotics haul in Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh and
Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar
n International drug syndicate busted in Ludhiana following investigation into cases registered by NCB
n Nov 15: This led NCB’s Chandigarh zonal unit to bust two heroin manufacturing units in Ludhiana with the seizure of over 20 kg of contraband
n 16 persons arrested between Nov 16, 2022, and January 6, 2023
n Illicit drugs and arms seized from Nov 15 to Dec 25, 2022
n 30 properties purchased by syndicate members identified, necessary actions being initiated
Two factories and heroin-processing hideouts in Ludhiana have been busted, which were being operated by the two Afghan chemists, the agency said.
Those arrested till now from Ludhiana include Akshya Kumar Chhabra, Sandeep Singh, alias Deepu, Harsukhvir Singh, alias Raja, Ajay Kumar, alias Gora Grover, Jaspal Singh, alias Goldy, Hitesh Verma, Bhuvnesh Kapoor, Sandeep Singh, alias Chatha, Subhash Goyal, Qadri Hamidullah Yusufi (Afghan chemist), MD Hakim Salimi (Afghan chemist), Amandeep Chania, Gurmail Singh, alias Garry, Rawaljeet Singh, alias Rawal Wadala, Zaidu Haider Raji and Mohd Imran.
The seized contraband and ammunition include 34.4 kg of heroin, 5.4 kg of morphine, 0.5 kg of opium, 23.6 kg of suspected narcotics powder, four bottles of HCL, one bottle of acetic anhydride, 31 live bullets and one magazine, the agency said, adding that around 30 properties purchased by the operatives of this drugs syndicate have been identified and the agency is expected to seize them.
Noting that the syndicate was busted over one and a half months, NCB Deputy Director General (DDG) for Northern Region Gyaneshwar Singh said, “The agency’s probe into the Shaheen Bagh (Delhi) and Muzaffarnagar (Uttar Pradesh) drug busts in April last year led the agency to this cartel. The Chandigarh zonal unit was alerted, which led to the busting of two illegal heroin-processing laboratories in Ludhiana in November.
The international drug syndicate was spread across Afghanistan, Pakistan and different states across India.
“More than 60 bank accounts linked to the Ludhiana group have been frozen under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act till now,” the NCB official said, adding that some night clubs and restaurants being operated by the accused in Punjab are also under the agency’s scanner.
“Also, other front businesses of the international drug syndicate like liquor vends, rice mill, ghee business and different agencies of reputed brands as well as role of their associates are being inquired into,” he added.
In April 2022, the agency had seized about 50 kg of heroin from South Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh and arrested about half-dozen people.
