3 arrested for supplying opium from Bangladesh to Punjab
Police arrested three men for allegedly supplying opium from Bangladesh to Punjab and seized contraband worth Rs 1.5 crore, an official said on Tuesday. The three accused were identified as Alam Sheikh (26), the carrier of narcotic drugs, Shakeel (45), a transporter, and Jasvinder (32), the receiver of the drugs. The Crime Branch received information that members of a drug syndicate would come near Majnu Ka Tila, Timarpur in a truck with huge consignment of opium. A trap was laid and the accused were nabbed with 15 kilogram of opium and the truck was also seized, the police said. During interrogation, the accused revealed that the syndicate is being run by one Ibrahim, a resident of Malda, who procures the opium from Bangladesh and Jharkhand and supplies it to various areas of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Punjab, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Bhisham Singh said. According to the police, Sheikh's father is suffering from a heart ailment and he was in a dire need of money for his treatment. About four-five months back, he came in contact with Ibrahim, who was looking for a carrier of illegal drugs. Sheikh was assured of Rs 10,000 per trip to accompany Shakeel, the transporter. Shakeel went to Saudi Arabia in 2008 and worked as a truck driver and came back to India in 2014. By his earnings from Saudi Arabia, the accused Shakeel purchased his own truck and started a transport business. During this period, he came in contact with Ibrahim, who lured him into this business with a promise to pay Rs 20,000 for each trip, said the officer. The third accused owns a dhaba by the name of ‘Virk Jack' on Shamli-Karnal Road, where large number of truck drivers are regular customers, who consume opium. About two-three years ago, he came in contact with Shakeel, who was supplying opium for Ibrahim. Finding this trade profitable, the accused started purchasing opium from Ibrahim and selling it to retail to truck drivers and also supplied it to his various contacts in Punjab and Haryana in wholesale, added the DCP. PTI
