Ludhiana, December 20
The Special Task Force (STF) wing of Ludhiana arrested three persons, including a nurse, at Military Hospital, Ferozepur Cantt, and recovered 1.5 kg of heroin from their possession on Tuesday. The value of the recovered drugs in the international market is Rs 7.5 crore.
Woman into trade for over 8 years
One of the suspects, Sukhwinder, Singh admitted that he was a taxi driver and he started smuggling to become rich in a short span of time while Vandana, a nurse, said she was into smuggling trade for the past over eight years.
The suspects have been identified as Ashish, alias Ashu (21), of Gandhi Nagar, Ferozepur, Sukhwinder Singh, alias Laddi (41), of Ferozepur Cantt and Vandana (48) of Ferozepur. Vandana is working as a nurse on a contractual basis in Military Hospital, Ferozepur Cantt.
DSF, STF, Ajay Kumar, and Inspector, STF, Ludhiana range, Harbans Singh, conducted a press conference regarding the matter.
They said a tip-off was received that the three suspects were running a heroin smuggling network for a long time and they were using Etios car (bearing registration no. PB65Y0107) to smuggle drugs. As per information, the trio was supposed to go to the Nirmal Nagar area in Dugri to deliver the huge quantity of heroin.
The officials said a special team, led by Inspector Harbans Singh, laid a naka at a strategic point in Nirmal Nagar, and stopped their car for checking. During the checking of a bag Vandana was carrying, 1.5 kg of heroin was seized.
During preliminary questioning, Ashish confessed that he was working at some jewellery shop in Ferozepur. He was arrested by the police in a drug smuggling case in the past. About three years ago, he came out on bail from the Central Jail, Ferozepur. Sukhwinder admitted that he was a taxi driver and he started smuggling to become rich in a short span of time while Vandana said she had brought the heroin from some Himanshu Bhatti of Ferozepur and she was into smuggling trade for over eight years.
Now, police remand of the suspects would be sought to bust the entire drug supply line. A case was registered against them on Tuesday.
The Tribune is now available on WhatsApp Channels. Click here to get all the latest updates from us on WhatsApp.