AIG (STF) Snehdeep Sharma said that the police arrested two brothers Raj Kumar, 28, and Arun Kumar, 27, along with their wives — Anjali, 20, and Harpreet Kaur, 28, respectively. (Representational Image)
The Ludhiana unit of anti-drug Special Task Force (STF) arrested three couples Friday and claimed a total recovery of 4 kg heroin, Rs 60,000 drug money, a pistol and 14 live cartridges from them.
AIG (STF) Snehdeep Sharma said that the police arrested two brothers Raj Kumar, 28, and Arun Kumar, 27, along with their wives — Anjali, 20, and Harpreet Kaur, 28, respectively.
The police said that 3.20 kg heroin, Rs 60,000 in cash, a 32 bore pistol and 14 live cartridges were recovered from their possession. The recovered heroin costs around Rs 16 crore in open market. The family is from Kapurthala but is settled in Ludhiana.
The AIG said that they were arrested near Ishar Nagar when they were travelling in an SUV to allegedly deliver contraband to customers.
The AIG said that the accused, Raj Kumar, already has four cases against him including those under the NDPS Act, Excise Act and for alleged assault. Arun Kumar has nine FIRs against him too, including under the NDPS Act.
Both brothers were declared proclaimed offenders in some cases.
He added that their wives had been helping them in drug business for two years and do not have previous cases registered against them.
During questioning, the accused told STF that they procured contraband from a Delhi-based Nigerian national and from Amritsar-based gangster.
An FIR under sections 21, 29, 61, 85 of the NDPS Act and sections 25, 54, 59 of the Arms Act has been registered against the accused at STF Mohali.
Meanwhile, following the information provided by these accused during interrogation, STF arrested a third couple for alleged drug peddling and recovered 810 gram heroin from them.
The AIG said that the third couple — Naman Gupta, 30, and his wife Preeti, 26, of Giaspura — were arrested with 810 gm heroin. They allegedly used to procure heroin from Arun Kumar. They had been into drug peddling for the past one year, the AIG said.