Chandigarh, Punjab Police on Friday said it had unearthed one of the biggest inter-state opium smuggling syndicate operating from Jharkhand with the arrest of two "major drug smugglers" and seizure of 66 kg of drugs.
The opium was kept hidden in specially designed and manufactured compartments installed under his car, said Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav.
An official statement quoting the DGP said that those arrested have been identified as Sukhyad Singh alias Yad and Jagraj Singh.
Apart from recovering the opium, the police teams have also seized Rs 40,000 in drug money and 400 grams of gold from his possession, besides confiscating his car and tractor.
Yadav said further financial investigation and follow-up of this case resulted in the discovery of 42 bank accounts, which were being used for financial transactions by the organized opium syndicate.
"Following a financial follow-up in less than 24 hours, the Fazilka police have frozen all 42 bank accounts containing amounts worth Rs 1.86 crore from drug proceeds," he said.
The DGP said that the Fazilka police also initiated the process of confiscation of assets in accordance with the relevant provisions of the law. More research is being done to trace forward and backward links, he added.
Sharing the details of the operation, Senior Superintendent of Police, Fazilka, Pragya Jain said that they have received reliable information that the accused are in the habit of transporting opium from Jharkhand and they would return from Jharkhand to Dalmir Khera via Sri Ganganagar in his car with a substantial amount of opium. .
Acting quickly on the entries, the police set up a strategic checkpoint on Abohar-Ganganagar road at Sappan Wali village bus stand and successfully intercepted the specified vehicle, he said.
He said despite the driver's attempt to flee, the police managed to arrest the accused and recover 66 kg of opium and the drug money from their possession. While chasing them, a police officer was also injured.
Jain said that police teams have also identified another accused behind this syndicate and the latter has been involved in smuggling for over two decades and is facing at least nine criminal cases related to attempt to murder and robbery, under the Excise Act and the NDPS Act.
The opium was kept hidden in specially designed and manufactured compartments installed under his car, said Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav.
An official statement quoting the DGP said that those arrested have been identified as Sukhyad Singh alias Yad and Jagraj Singh.
Apart from recovering the opium, the police teams have also seized Rs 40,000 in drug money and 400 grams of gold from his possession, besides confiscating his car and tractor.
Yadav said further financial investigation and follow-up of this case resulted in the discovery of 42 bank accounts, which were being used for financial transactions by the organized opium syndicate.
"Following a financial follow-up in less than 24 hours, the Fazilka police have frozen all 42 bank accounts containing amounts worth Rs 1.86 crore from drug proceeds," he said.
The DGP said that the Fazilka police also initiated the process of confiscation of assets in accordance with the relevant provisions of the law. More research is being done to trace forward and backward links, he added.
Sharing the details of the operation, Senior Superintendent of Police, Fazilka, Pragya Jain said that they have received reliable information that the accused are in the habit of transporting opium from Jharkhand and they would return from Jharkhand to Dalmir Khera via Sri Ganganagar in his car with a substantial amount of opium. .
Acting quickly on the entries, the police set up a strategic checkpoint on Abohar-Ganganagar road at Sappan Wali village bus stand and successfully intercepted the specified vehicle, he said.
He said despite the driver's attempt to flee, the police managed to arrest the accused and recover 66 kg of opium and the drug money from their possession. While chasing them, a police officer was also injured.
Jain said that police teams have also identified another accused behind this syndicate and the latter has been involved in smuggling for over two decades and is facing at least nine criminal cases related to attempt to murder and robbery, under the Excise Act and the NDPS Act.
