Two Ludhiana-based taxi drivers held with 20.80 kg ice

Ludhiana, June 28, 2022: With the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has waged war against the Drug Mafia, the Special Task Force (STF) of Punjab Police has arrested two drug smugglers after recovering 20.80Kg Amphetamine or Crystal Meth, notoriously known as ICE, from Ludhiana, Inspector General of Police (IGP) STF Gurinder Singh Dhillon said here on Tuesday. The above operation was carried out by the teams of STF Ludhiana led by AIG Snehdeep Sharma.

Those arrested have been identified as Harpreet Singh alias Bobby (40) of village Sanet in Ludhiana, Arjun (26) of Ambedkar Nagar in Ludhiana. Both are taxi drivers in Ludhiana. The Police have also booked the main supplier identified as Vishal alias Vinay, a resident of Labour Colony Ludhiana. 

Divulging details, IGP Gurinder Singh Dhillon said that following a reliable information that Harpreet and Arjun to deliver supply of ICE at T-Point in BRS Nagar Ludhiana on their motorcycle Honda Dream (PB10EU6811), Police team led by Incharge STF Ludhiana Range Insp Harbans Singh raided the location and managed to arrest both the smugglers after recovering 2Kg ICE concealed in Black colour bag along with a weighing machine from their possession.

He said that during investigation, accused persons have confessed to having been selling ICE drugs for over 4 years on the instructions of Vishal alias Vinay, who is learnt to be the Kingpin. Vinay, who is otherwise working as a realtor, is step-brother of Arjun and used to supply the ICE via Arjun and Harpreet.

The IGP said that following the confessions of both the accused, the police team has also recovered 18.80Kg ICE along with a weighing machine from the house of Vishal alias Vinay, situated at Labour Colony at Jawahar Nagar in Ludhiana. The ICE drug was concealed in an almirah kept on the second floor of the house, he said.

 He added that all the forward and backward linkages will be traced during the investigations, no accused will be spared and the strictest possible action will be initiated as per the provisions of NDPS Act, 1985.

AIG Snehdeep Sharma said that the Police teams are on manhunt to arrest absconding accused Vishal. Further investigations are on, he added.

Meanwhile, FIR No 140 dated 27-6-2022 has been registered under sections 21 and 29 of the NDPS Act at Police Station Phase-4 Mohali, SAS Nagar.