Tarn Taran, July 18

The district police on Sunday busted a gang of smugglers, including a Nigerian smuggler. Carrying 5.200 kg of heroin, two of the gang members were arrested by the Patti Sadar police from a naka set up near Cheema Kalan village in the border area. The contraband was packed in a parcel-type cardboard box. The international market value of the seized contraband is estimated to be around Rs 25.4 crore.

The accused were in an i-20 car (PB-02 DE-3384) which too had been taken into police custody. The police also seized Rs 1 lakh cash, which is alleged to be drug money collected from the sale of drugs. Two cell phones were seized from the accused.

Addressing mediapersons, SSP Dhruman H Nimbale said the car-borne smugglers were identified as Naresh and Rahul of Dharampura near Jaura Fatak (Amritsar).

In their preliminary interrogation, the accused told the police that the consignment was given to them by Parveen Kumar and Tarun Soori, alias Tannu, who had links with one international Nigerian smuggler who sent them such consignments.

They were given Rs 10,000 per trip to supply the consignment to a specific destination. The accused were going to Ferozpore to deliver the consignment to some undisclosed destination.

The SSP said the operation to arrest the smugglers was supervised by Patti DSP Kuljinder Singh.

A case under Sections 21-C, 29, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered by Patti Sadar police. — OC