To dodge agencies, border smugglers in Punjab using Dubai numbers

In an apparent move to dodge enforcement agencies, Indian smugglers have started using Dubai mobile numbers to make contact with their counterparts in Pakistan, police said.

Police say Indian smugglers, mostly who live in border villages of Punjab, have now been using Dubai numbers in WhatsApp messengers to keep tab on supply of heroin consignments from across the border.

The new modus operandi was known with the arrest of two persons belonging to border villages by Tarn Taran police on Saturday .The arrested men were identified as Partap Singh of Asal Uttar village, 5 kms away from the barbed fence, and Avtar Singh of Naushehra Dhala village, a few hundred meters away from the barbed fence at India-Pakistan border in Tarn Taran district.

With the arrest of the accused, police had seized 170-gm of heroin and drug money worth Rs 3,05,000. Superintendent of police (SP-headquarter) Harjit Singh said a team led-by station house officer (SHO) Gurcharan Singh of Tarn Taran City police station was patrolling near drain at Chabhal Road. “During the patrolling, the team signalled to stop the accused, who were on a motor cycle and coming from Chabhal side. During their search, the team recovered 100-gm heroin and Rs 2,05,000 (410 notes of Rs 500 denomination) from Partap’s possession. Similarly, on frisking Avtar Singh, the team recovered 70-gm heroin and 50 notes of Rs 2,000 denomination (Rs 1,00,000),” he said.

The accused were arrested and a case under Section 21-65-85 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was lodged against them, he said.

“During interrogation, the duo accused told us that they had been smuggling heroin from Pakistan and were in touch with the smugglers of the neighbouring country. We have also confiscated two mobile phones of the accused,” said the SP.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Dhruv Dahiya said, “Our investigation into the case has found that the duo had been using Dubai numbers to communicate with their Pakistani counterparts.”

He said, “Earlier too, we had arrested some smugglers who had been using Dubai numbers. We have found that to mislead enforcement agencies, the smugglers, mostly from the border areas, have been using Dubai numbers. There are other accomplices of the two arrested men who are also using the same modus operandi to secure supply of drugs from Pak-based smugglers. We have booked others too and efforts are being made to nab them.”

Earlier on August 1, Amritsar police had apprehended one Jatinder Singh of Dhanoa Kalan village, a border village in Amritsar district. Police had said Jatinder had been in contact with Pakistani smuggler Javed thorugh Whatsapp messenger. It had said Javed with the help of another Pak-based man used to conceal heroin in ‘jutti’ (footware) hanged behind trucks which cross back over to India after exporting goods at the Wagah border in Pakistan side.

First Published: Aug 18, 2019 01:07 IST