3,550kg poppy husk seized, gang operated from prison

Ludhiana: A day after seizing 1,400 kg poppy husk from two wanted drug peddlers, Ludhiana rural police got hold of 2,150 kg more of the contraband based on the disclosures by the accused, making it one of the biggest recoveries of poppy husk in Ludhiana.
The contraband was brought from Rajasthan and was worth Rs 2.5 crore, said police officials.
The drug racket was operated by two notorious smugglers while sitting inside Faridkot jail, SSP (Ludhiana rural) Varinder Singh Brar said on Friday.
Acting on a tip-off, a police party on Wednesday had arrested Gurparmjit Singh Pamma and Gurdeep Singh while smuggling 1,400kg poppy husk in two SUVs on Pul Sua Malha road at Chakker village.
Gurparmjit and Gurdeep worked for the racket run by Pippal Singh and Nishan Singh of Daulewala, Moga, who are currently lodged in Faridkot jail, said the SSP.
The SSP said the information received by the police suggested that duo operated the rcket through Bachitter Singh of Hirdewal and Mannu of Bhinder Kalan. He said the consignment of poppy husk was being brought by Bachitter Singh and Mannu in a truck (registration number PB 10 CL 1806), which was later seized from a petrol pump at Chauhan Ke village in Barnala district.
The police officer said all these men along with unknown colleagues had brought a truck carrying poppy husk. The SSP said the poppy husk from truck had been loaded in two cars. The consignment was to be supplied in Hathur area. He said a case under sections of NDPS act has been registered at Hathur police station.
During search, 40 polythene bags were seized from the rear seats of vehicles containing 1,400 kg of poppy husk.
“A total of 101 bags containing 3,550 kg poppy husk has been recovered so far,” said the SSP. He said efforts are on to arrest the other accused in the case.
The SSP said Gurparamjit was sentenced to 10-year imprisonment in a 2007 poppy husk peddling case and he had been declared an absconder after he had jumped parole. He said Gurparamjit is a proclaimed offender in another case in which Sadar Jagraon police had seized 2,975 kg of poppy husk.
Police said Gurdeep was also wanted by Sidhwan Bet police in a case of 20kg poppy husk smuggling. It said the arrested men would be interrogated thoroughly after availing police remand and more disclosures are likely to be made by them.
He said with court’s permission, police have got the remand of Pippal Singh and Nishan Singh for their interrogation.