Syndicate Of Psychotropic Drugs Busted, 15 Arrested

LUDHIANA, 20 MARCH 2021:

The city police on Friday claimed to have busted an interstate drug syndicate supplying illegal psychotropic drugs, with the arrest of 15 persons. As many as 66,99,719 intoxicating tablets, capsules, injections, syrups, worth Rs 54 crore in illegal drug market, were seized from a godown in Meerut, in one of the biggest crackdowns on drug cartels. The arrested accused included Hemant of Mohammadpur Sultan of UP, Anoop Kumar Sharma of Chandar Nagar in Civil Lines, Ludhiana, Loveleen Sharma of Chander Nagar in Ludhiana, Harjeet Singh of Kundanpuri in Ludhiana, Sumit Kumar of Guru Nanak Pura, Ludhiana, Gagandeep of Hargobindnagar, Jagatpuri in Ludhiana, Babul of Kundanpuri, Bridwan Road, Ludhiana, Karamjeet Singh of Pavitar Nagar in Haibowal Kalan, Ludhiana, Kulwinder Kumar of Sandhu Nagar, Civil City Road, Ludhiana, Kuldeep Kumar of JP Electrical, Bijli Market, Ludhiana, Kamaljeet Kamal of New Vishnupuri, Ludhiana, Jaan Saifi of Meerut, UP, Farjaan Sethi of Abdul Wali Gali in UP, Suraj Parkash of Partapur in Meerut and Mohamad Sadiq, also of Meerut. Police have also recovered drug money of Rs 5,44,814 from the accused.

Cops said the nexus was unearthed after close surveillance and raids. The police have registered six FIRs and four of the accused were arrested from Meerut.

An investigation into an NDPS case filed at Division 4 police station, Ludhiana, on March 1 led to the arrest of Anup Kumar Sharma with 1,29,200 intoxicating tablets.

Commissioner of police Rakesh Aggarwal said this led to the arrest of another five persons who were in possession of intoxicants and subsequent registration of five more FIRs. He added that a number of money transfer agents and courier suppliers were also arrested for facilitating the illegal psychotropic drug trade.

“Bank accounts used for money transactions / payments for drug consignments have been frozen.  Interrogation of main  accused Anup Sharma unveiled a chain of supply of psychotropic drugs from Meerut. The police team traced the chain to Jaan Saifi of Meerut, who used to procure drugs from Afjaan Saifi, Mohammad Sadik and Surya Prakash in huge quantities. Acting on disclosures made by these four, an illegal godown of psychotropic drugs was busted at Partapur in Meerut in the presence of drug control officials. A huge seizure of 66,99,719 intoxicant tablets, capsules, injections, syrups worth Rs 18 crore has been made,” the police commissioner added.

“These are sold at almost three times the price (Rs 54 crore) in illegal drug market. The gang used to push pharmaceutical opioid drugs into the market by way of diversion from manufacturers, wholesalers and retail chemists and used pre identified network of couriers / transport / goods carriers, operating from major cities, to deliver consignments to various locations using local transporters. Payment and transfer of money was done via multiple online transactions into bank accounts especially created for this purpose. These pharmaceutical opioids cannot be sold without a valid medical prescription from a registered medical practitioner,” he said.

Police said medically used for pain relief and treatment for opioid dependence, these were being diverted and misused because they induce analgesia (pain relief) and euphoria (feeling of well-being). They added that active drug users commonly use these as a substitute for opioids (opium and heroin) due to low cost and over the counter availability. Inappropriately high doses of these intoxicants can produce respiratory depression and circulatory failure leading to drug overdose death.

With the arrest of these gang members, a well-oiled network of drug syndicate pushing consignments into Punjab and other parts of the country has been busted,” said police.The Times Of India