Rs 70-crore cocaine seized in Pathankot, Jammu man held
Ravi Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service
Pathankot, June 30
In a first-of-its-kind seizure, the Pathankot police today recovered 5.75 kg cocaine worth Rs 70 crore in the international market from a Jammu-based smuggler.
The development comes as a surprise as the previous seizures used to be of heroin, opium and poppy husk. It also hints at rave parties being held in and around the city, a development being denied by the police.
Acting on a tip-off, a police party led by SP (Investigation) Prabhjot Singh Virk set up a check post near Madhopur on the Pathankot-Jammu national highway. The cops signalled a black SUV to halt following which the driver, Amit Sudan, tried to flee but in vain. The police found a large packet of cocaine hidden in a cavity of the vehicle.
Amit was arrested and an FIR was registered under the NDPS Act at the Sadar police station.
SSP Surendra Lamba said the rave party angle could not be ruled out. “We are investigating all angles. Prima-facie it appears the drug was meant for onward supply to Mumbai and Goa. We are also probing whether it was meant for local consumption or not,” he said.
Virk said the accused was in possession of a fleet of high-end cars in Jammu. “All his links are being probed. We have procured his call details record (CDR),” he added.
A source said the police, based on Amit’s CDR, had hit something big. “Some startling disclosures will be made in the next few days. The police are not revealing their names fearing it may act as an impediment in the investigation,” he said.
Hints at rave parties
- SSP Surendra Lamba says the rave party angle can’t be ruled out
- “Prima-facie it appears the drug was meant for onward supply to Mumbai and Goa,” he says
- The accused is in possession of a fleet of high-end cars in Jammu. “All his links are being probed. We have procured his call details,” says SP Prabhjot Singh Virk
