Punjab police recovers 41QTLs poppy husk from Bathinda; one held

CHANDIGARH: Amidst the ongoing war against drugs waged on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Counter Intelligence (CI) Bathinda has arrested a drug smuggler and seized a massive 4100 Kg (210 bags) of poppy husk being smuggled in a container-truck from Madhya Pradesh, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Monday.

The arrested drug smuggler has been identified as Sandeep Singh alias Kaka (Truck Driver), a resident of village Raipur Arian in Nakodar, Jalandhar. Apart from recovering big haul of poppy husk, Police teams have also impounded the container-truck bearing registeration number NL 01AB 0377.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said that swiftly acting on a secret information about trafficking of poppy husk in large quantity, Police teams from Counter Intelligence Bathinda along with District Police Bathinda laid a joint Naka and stopped a suspected container truck for checking. During checking of the vehicle, Police teams have recovered 210 bags carrying 41 quintal of the poppy husk drug, he said.

The DGP said that during the preliminary investigation it has come to notice that this consignment was supposed to be delivered in the area of Jalandhar, Moga and Ferozepur districts. Our teams are working tirelessly to uncover the entire network, following both forward and backward linkages, he added.

Sharing more details, AIG CI Bathinda Avneet Kaur Sidhu said that the arrested drug smuggler has confessed to have delivered such big consignments of poppy husk from Partapgarh in MP to Punjab earlier as well. Further investigations are on, she said.

A case FIR No 118 dated 15-07-2024 has been registered under section 15C of the NDPS Act at Police Station Canal Colony Bathinda.