DRI busts international drug ring in Ludhiana, seizes heroin worth Rs 434 crore; 3 held

LUDHIANA/KAITHAL: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted an international drug smuggling racket that may be run from Africa and is linked to Ludhiana's Sahnewal. The operation has led to seizure of 62 kg of heroin - including 6kg from Kaithal in Haryana - valued at about Rs 434 crores, along with over Rs 50 lakh in cash from Delhi, Sahnewal in Ludhiana and Haryana.
Three people have been arrested so far in this case. While one person has been arrested by Delhi DRI, the duo from Sahnewal has been apprehended by Ludhiana DRI and produced before the duty magistrate on Wednesday, who gave their transit remand to Delhi DRI.

The officials of the agency are tight-lipped about the details, but sources sayd the Ludhiana and Delhi units of DRI seized 55 kg heroin from the 330 trolley bags which reached Air Cargo Complex, Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, from Uganda.
The smugglers had concealed the heroin in metal tubes of 126 bags by creating cavities. This consignment was imported on the name of a Delhi-based importer, but was sent to two Sahnewal-based businessmen Raman and Navjot, who are said to have been in direct touch with the person who shipped it. The latter is believed to be a Punjab-origin man based in Entebbe (Uganda) and is suspected to be running the network for several years, say sources.

After the seizure of the trolley bags at Air Cargo Delhi, the DRI sleuths on Tuesday evening raided a shop located at Sahnewal, from where the duo used to sell shoes, garments, and accessories. In fact, they used to even sell the trolley bags used to smuggle the heroin from abroad. During the search of the shop and other premises belonging to them, DRI officials seized 1 kg heroin and cash in excess of Rs 15 lakh.
DRI sources told TOI that the gang running this drug racket had a network of dealers and peddlers who used to supply the heroin imported from abroad in Punjab and other states, and DRI investigation is underway to identify all the other accused who are part of this nexus. Meanwhile, both Raman and Navjot are an important link in this entire chain. It has been learnt that they became part of the ring to gather money to pursue their dream of settling in Canada.
In Kaithal, acting on a tip-off, the DRI and Haryana police recovered 6 kg heroin, valued at Rs 42 crore in the open market, and recovered Rs 33.84 lakh in cash from Kharka village of Kaithal district on Wednesday. As soon as the accused identified as Baljinder alias Kala got wind of raid, he fled. According to the Kaithal SP Maqsood Ahmad, the DRI team reached the spot at around 11 pm and raided the house of Baljinder where they found the heroin packet. Prime facie it seems that the contraband was brought from Ludhiana in Punjab. The accused kept 12 packets in a box at his home for supplying to different locations.