77 kg heroin seized from 4 in two Punjab operations

Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, August 6

In one of the biggest drug hauls in Punjab this year, the Counter Intelligence (CI) wing of Punjab Police has recovered 77 kg of heroin along with arms and ammunition, including three pistols, from four suspects in two separate operations carried out over the past 24 hours.

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Lakhbir Singh, AIG (Counter Intelligence), said following specific inputs, CI wing sleuths laid a trap near Qile Wala Chowk on the outskirts of the city last evening and flagged down two bike-borne suspects — Gagga Gill, alias Gagan, alias Kali (23), of Bare Ke village in Sadar area and Veer Singh, alias Veeru (37), of Muhar Sona village in Fazilka district — coming from the border side. The bike didn’t bear bearing the registration plate.

3 pistols recovered

Besides 41.8 kg heroin, two 9 mm pistols, 4 magazines, 100 rounds, and a .30 pistol with 2 magazines and 15 rounds recovered from two in Ferozepur. Another 36 kg heroin seized from two others along IB

“The police recovered 39 packets of heroin, weighing 41.8 kg, besides two 9 mm pistols, four magazines with 100 rounds, and a .30 Turkish semi-automatic pistol with two magazines and 15 rounds from the suspects,” said the AIG.

The two were booked under Sections 21-C, 29, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act, and 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act at the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) in Fazilka, he added.

In the second operation, the CI wing nabbed two suspects — Jasbinder Singh, alias Bhinda, and Jagdip Singh, alias Bhuchhar, both residents of Deep Singh Wala village in Sadiq — near Palla Megha village along the International Border this morning. A bag containing 36 packets of heroin, weighing 36 kg, was recovered from them. “The two have also been booked under the NDPS Act,” said the AIG.

Terming it a big success in the fight against the drug syndicate, DGP Gaurav Yadav said they had busted another module involved in narco-terrorism. The police would further investigate and expose the forward and backward linkages, he added.

The AIG said Gill and his family members were already facing criminal cases. Last year, Gill and his brother Ravinder were booked following the recovery of 1.574 kg of heroin and Rs 50,000 drug money at the Sadar police station. Ravinder was nabbed, but Gill remained at large.

Further, Gill along with his father Tek Chand and second brother Vikram was booked following seizure of 5 kg of heroin, a pistol and Rs 80,000 drug money. All three suspects had been absconding, said the AIG.