The total recoveries of precursor chemicals ephedrine and pseudoephedrine in the massive multi-crore synthetic drug racket are approaching 1 metric ton (1000 kgs) with another seizure of 325 kgs today of these precursor chemicals from a Baddi factory owned by Jagjit Singh Chahal.Disclosing this here today, Mr. Hardyal Singh Mann, SSP, Patiala said that the primary focus of the investigations in the synthetic drug racket has been to identify the sources of supply of raw material (ephedrine and pseudoephedrine) used for manufacture of synthetic drugs, to effect their seizures and recoveries, to make arrests of all the persons involved in the supply chain, to identify the distribution network, arrest persons involved in the distribution network-so as to completely unveil and expose the racket in an end-to-end manner from the suppliers of raw materials to manufactures of synthetic drugs to its distributors and smash it.
He pointed out that the Punjab police has been working in a systematic manner for conducting thorough and meticulous investigations so as to expose every link in the various parts of this multi-crore racket. The total recoveries effected so far were worth over Rs. 925 crores in the international market, and it was expected that more recoveries would be effected soon as the investigation progresses.Mr. Mann revealed that further investigations into the synthetic drugs racket by the Punjab Police has uncovered an illegal weapons supply racket in which small weapons smuggled from across the international border were sold to unsuspecting buyers as legitimate Indian weapons through connivance of certain arms dealers and some officials of Arms Licensing Branches. 4 small weapons including three 0.30 bore pistols and one 0.32 bore pistol have been recovered so far. One Bolero car has also been recovered.
He said that Baljinder Singh s/o Hardev Singh r/o village Pandori Gola, PS Sadar Tarn Taran, district Tarn Taran, an associate of drug lord and synthetic drug racket mastermind Jagdish Bhola, who was arrested alongwith him on November 11 from Shan-i-Punjab Dhaba on the GT Road near New Delhi was the kingpin of this illicit weapon supply racket. Baljinder Singh headed a group of desperate smugglers who were in touch with Pak-based arms and drugs smugglers and was instrumental in obtaining several consignments of contrabands and arms from across the international border. According to investigations carried on so far, the Baljinder-led smuggling ring was responsible for smuggling 14 small weapons and 40 kgs of heroin from across the international border, he added.
The SSP informed that an innovative modus operandi was adopted by the smugglers to convert the small weapons smuggled from across international border into legitimate weapons purchased by unsuspecting buyers through a well-oiled machinery including arms dealers and conniving officials in the Arms Licensing Branches of the border districts in the state. Fake papers showing fake sellers of these small weapons and other supporting documents were forged. With the connivance of the Arms Licensing Branch officials, these smuggled weapons were entered into arms licenses and sold to bonafied purchasers at market rates. Ongoing investigations have revealed important operational leads about the arms dealers and the officials involve in this racket. These persons would be dealt with in an appropriate manner in accordance with law and full details would be shared upon the completion of these investigations.The investigations conducted so far have led to the recovery of precursor chemicals worth Rs. 925 crore in the international market with their recovery nearing 1 metric ton, four small weapons and three vehicles used by the drug smugglers. Further investigations were ongoing, concluded Mr. Mann.