Chandigarh, July 12
The Punjab Police have detained some persons (identity undisclosed) in Malerkotla for questioning after 75 kg of heroin was found in their consignment of clothes at Mundra Port in Gujarat.
The Malerkotla connection
- 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 the UAE, was booked by an importer from Malerkotla
- The Punjab Police have detained some persons (identity undisclosed) in Malerkotla for questioning
Following specific intelligence input regarding the smuggling of heroin from the UAE to Punjab, the state police in a joint operation with the Anti-Terror Squad (ATS), Gujarat, and central agencies seized 75 kg of heroin from a container at Mundra Port, said Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav here on Tuesday.
He said: “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.”
As per preliminary investigations, the DGP said as the links of the container have been established with Punjab, this consignment seems to be routed to some other place via Punjab.
Divulging more details, DGP Yadav said 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 officials,” he said, adding that after following due procedure and documentation, the container was opened up, which led to the seizure of 75 kg heroin. To ensure transparency and following the NDPS Act guidelines, the consignment was opened in the presence of Customs officials and magistrate.
Meanwhile, an FIR under Sections 8C, 21C, 23C, and 29 of the NDPS Act has been registered by the ATS Gujarat.
Following inputs of Punjab Police, 75-kg heroin seized from Gujarat's Mundra Port
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