Notorious drug supplier held in Ludhiana

LUDHIANA: A 35-year-old man, wanted in several cases of drug peddling in Punjab and Haryana since 2013, was nabbed by Ludhiana (rural) police in Jagraon.
Identified as Raj Kumar Raju, a resident of Mohalla Prem Nagar, Sirsa, Haryana, the accused was arrested with 6kg opium on Friday.

Ludhiana (rural) SSP Surjeet Singh said as part of a special campaign against drug peddlers and anti-social elements, a team of CIA staff Jagraon was deputed at the bus stand at Kaonke Kalan. He said police got a tip-off about Raj Kumar with the informer claiming that the peddler had been smuggling opium for a long time and had supplied the same in huge quantity across Punjab.

Following the tip-off, the police party set up a check post on Kaonke road in Akhara where cops saw a car and signaled the driver to stop.

Police said on search of the car, DSP (investigations) Amandeep Singh found six kg of opium from under the driver's seat. Raj Kumar was arrested and his car was seized.

A case under relevant sections of the NDPS Act was registered at Sadar Jagraon police station.

"During initial investigation, it was found that Raj Kumar was wanted in several cases in Haryana and Punjab. In 2013, Sudhar police station had registered a case against him under the NDPS act for the recovery of 152kg of poppy husk. In 2014, Sunam city had booked him under NDPS act for the recovery of 55 kg of poppy husk and was declared a proclaimed offender in that case," said the SSP.

He said the accused was booked under the NDPS Act at Sadar police station, Kapurthala, after 2.7 kg opium was seized. Dhuri police had booked him after 45 kg of poppy husk was seized from him. Police said the accused would be produced before the court to secure his police remand. Cops would try to get more disclosures from him about the drug trade.