RECOVERY touches Rs. 484 crore in Fatehgarh Sahib drug haul case

Chandigarh, March 31, 2013: Today, the Fatehgarh Sahib police recovered 10 Kg of ‘Ice’ (Methamphetamine) and 230 Kg of raw material (Pseudophedrine) from which ‘Ice’ is made. Both the manufactured ice and the raw material were being exported abroad to UK, Canada and Holland by this group of narcotic smugglers through one Kulwant Singh, a UK national, who was earlier arrested in this case from Delhi on March 19.

As per Anoop Singh Kahlon and Kulwant Singh, the international retail price of Ice is about Rs. 5 crore per kg and of raw material about Rs. 1 crore per kg and the wholesale price is about one fourth of that. The seizures were made from the premises of one Satinder Singh @  Dhama ,r/o Panchkula, where 3 Kg ice and 75 Kg of Pseudophedrine were recovered in an Innova vehicle belonging to Jagdish Bhola, premises of one Avtar Singh r/o Sirhind road Patiala - 2 Kg Ice and 65 Kg Pseudophedrine, hidden in a Scorpio vehicle belonging to the brother of Avtar Singh and 3. premises of Ravicharn Singh @ Ravi Deol r/o Sangrur - 5 Kg Ice and 90 kg Pseudophedrine. All three namely Satinder Singh, Avtar Singh and Ravi Deol are absconding and police parties have been dispatched to apprehend them.

Earlier, the following recoveries had been made in this case: Heroin 28 Kg, 540 gm, Pseudophedrine 61 Kg 300 gm and 3. Drug money –Rs.1 crore, Rs. 15 lakh and 9,000 dollars. Also 50 Kg ice had been flushed down the drain by father and brother-in-law of Jaswinder Singh Rocky, when Rocky was arrested on March 3 this year and before the police could interrogate him.

The total wholesale price of the seizures in the international market are Rs 121 crore and the international retail price approximately Rs. 484 crores according to the figure given by Anoop Singh Kahlon and Kulwant Singh.

The source of Pseudophedrine being smuggled out was the pharmaceutical factory at Meerut being run by a retired DSP of UP Police Kirpal Singh (earlier arrested) and his son Anuj (who is absconding). The source of Heroin was from across the border (Afghanistan-Pakistan), procurement of  which was done by Jagdish Bhola, who is absconding. The drugs (Heroin, Ice and Pseudophedrine) were being sent by this group of smugglers to UK, Canada and Holland. Consignments were being sent both through Air cargo from Delhi and by Ship from Mumbai, which was organised by Kulwant Singh and Paramjit Singh (both arrested). At UK, the consignments were being received by Latif, of Pakistan origin settled in UK, who is an associate of Kulwant Singh (a UK citizen), at Canada by the father in law of Kulwant Singh, one Nirankar Singh Dhillon, resident of Toronto and in Holland  by one Sam and one Garry, both of Punjabi origin , but settled in Holland and who are associates of Manpreet alias Mani, a Canadian national, arrested earlier. Five Chinese associates had visited Chandigarh for quality check of Ice and pseudophedrine, in 2010. Their identities have been established  and further action is being taken.

Fifteen persons including two Canadian and one UK citizen have been arrested so far in this case, whereas more than 25 other persons of this network have figured, who are presently absconding. Police parties have been dispatched to UP, Delhi and Mumbai apart from several places in Punjab for further investigation and to apprehend the absconders.

DIG/ Counter Intelligence Ananya Gautam  assisted by  SP (D) FG Sb. Gurpreet Singh and the State special operation cell Amritsar, have been deputed to probe the international facets of the smuggling network and appropriately liaison with the UK, Canadian and Holland police.

For the good work done in this case 6 Constables were today given the rank of Head Constable, 8 Head Constables the rank of ASI, 3 ASIs the rank of Sub Inspector and 2 Sub Inspectors the rank of Inspector.

In investigation, it has been established that Boxers Ram Singh and Vijender Singh took heroin from Anoop Singh Kahlon and Rocky for personal consumption between December 2012 and February 2013. Consumption quantity heroin was first procured by Ram Singh alone in December 2012 and subsequently both the boxers went together to Zirakpur for procuring consumption quantity heroin once in January and two times in February. As per investigation conducted so far Vijender Singh consumed the drug about 12 times and Ram Singh about five times. However, they did not actively connive with the smugglers in their activities and nothing was recovered from them - as such both of them are not being arrested in the case at this stage. Ram Singh has been dismissed from the police department since it is established that he frequented the smugglers and procured heroin from them. The matter regarding moving the competent Court for issuance of directions to the boxers for making themselves available for a hair test was examined by Dy. DA, Fatehgarh Sahib.  Hair testing facilities are not available in local Forensic Science labs. On advise from Deputy DA, the local FSL unit has been moved to provide information as to which lab in the country can conduct the test appropriately, the validity and certainty of such a test and the duration within which the drug can be detected in a hair sample. The Crime wing of Punjab police has directed the local FSL to provide this information early so that further requisite action can be taken. It is also clarified that the primary focus of the police is to nab the active smugglers and break their network.