Following specific intelligence regarding the smuggling of heroin from UAE to Punjab, Punjab Police teams in a joint operation with ATS Gujarat and Central Agencies recovered 75Kg Heroin from a container at Mundra Port in Gujarat, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Tuesday.
The contraband was kept concealed in a container of unstitched clothes using a cardboard pipe which was further camouflaged by an oversized plastic pipe. The container, which was loaded from Jebel Ali port in UAE, was booked by an importer from Malerkotla, Punjab.
As per preliminary investigations, the DGP said that as the links of the container have been established with Punjab, this consignment seems to be routed to some other place via Punjab. “Punjab Part is being explored and investigated,” he added.
This recovery comes as a major success for the amid the ongoing war against drugs launched on the direction of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.Divulging more details, DGP Gaurav Yadav said that following inputs, the Punjab Police’s State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) SAS Nagar had immediately sent Police teams to Gujarat and deputed at the Mundra Port.
“In coordination with the central agency and ATS Gujarat, the searches were made at the Mundra Port with the help of Customs,” he said, adding that after following due procedure and documentation, the container was opened up which led to the recovery of a big haul of 75Kg heroin. To ensure transparency and following NDPS act guidelines, the consignment was opened in presence of customs officials and magistrate.
To ascertain backward and forward linkages, some suspected persons from Malerkotla and Ludhiana found to be linked with this import of consignment have been called for questioning by the concerned District Police.Meanwhile, an FIR under sections 8C, 21C, 23C, and 29 of the NDPS Act has been registered by ATS Gujarat at Police Station ATS Ahmedabad.