by Punjabnewswire4u
CHANDIGARH, JUNE 10
The seizure of heroin by Punjab Police in the last five days has gone up to 25.5 kg (June 6-10, 2014) with heroin seizures of 2014 crossing 300 kgs, following the arrest of UP-based drug smuggler Mumtaz Mohammad Ali today and recovery of 1.5 kg heroin from him. Investigations have revealed Bacchu Mian of Rampur as the UP-based kingpin who was the “end recipient” of an important heroin trafficking chain starting from Afghanistan to Pakistan, crossing the international border in J&K/Punjab, transiting through Punjab and Delhi and ending in Uttar Pradesh where it is supplied to the distribution network.
Disclosing this here today, Mr. Gaurav Yadav, IGP/Counter Intelligence, Punjab sad that Bacchu Mian was an affluent and well-connected Rampur-based recipient of narcotics. Mumtaz Mohammad Ali is the second associate of Bacchu Mian arrested after Vinod Kumar @ Lucky r/o village Sukhiabad, district Hoshiarpur (Punjab). He used to collect heroin consignments from their Punjab associates in a Canter with fake Haryana registration number HR-03CA 2225. Elaborate arrangements have been made in the vehicle to avoid detection of heroin during transportation and the consignment was hidden in a cavity inside a mustard seed grinder. Investigations have revealed that Bacchu Mian has also been using Afghan couriers for transporting heroin consignments hidden in capsules.
The IGP/CI informed that in the sustained police action in the past three weeks against drug trafficking, several supply chains have been detected. The chain of one cartel starts from one “Bagga Chairman” of Lahore and culminates at one “Anaten” of Sri Lanka who used to collect consignments in Delhi, with several Afghanis in various links. The supply chain unravelled today has Bacchu Mian of Rampur, UP as the “end recipient” with consignments coming from Pakistan and transiting through Punjab and Delhi. Another big supply chain of heroin exposed by Border Range starts with “Arif Mohammad @ Doctor” in Pakistan, transits through Punjab smuggler Gurminder Singh @ Lalli and culminates in Delhi-based Nigerians “Attou” and “Peter”. The Nigerian “end recipients” have been funnelled 50/60 kg heroin in 7/8 consignments between 2010-12. Investigations are ongoing to completely expose and smash such supply chains.
He said that the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) had earlier exposed a supply chain starting from Pakistan smuggler “Abid Ali”, use of Pak couriers Rashid Ahmed and Shaukat Ali, transit smugglers Sukhraj Singh and Balraj Singh, and, “end recipient” Avinash Pandit of Delhi, who were then arrested.
SSOC tasked to identify all end recipients – CI Wing and Zonal IGPs to co-ordinate
The in-transit seizures of expensive drugs heroin and ICE in the last four years are as follows:
Year
|
Heroin seizure
|
ICE
|
2011
|
100.924 kg
|
-
|
2012
|
278.465 kg
|
34.12 kg
|
2013
|
416.620 kg
|
14.25 kg
|
2014
(upto 10-6-2014)
|
302.106 kg
|
-
|
He said that the SSOC has been tasked to minutely examine and identify all supply chains of heroin and ICE which transit through Punjab and reach other states and the international market so that the “end recipients” can be systematically identified and proceeded against, in co-ordination with other state police forces. Zonal IGPs will co-ordinate with the Counter Intelligence Wing of Punjab Police for scrutiny and examination of interrogation reports and questioning of smugglers at the Joint Interrogation Center (JIC), Amritsar.
He further said that investigations into seizures of heroin have revealed that the heroin smuggled from across the international border transits through Punjab/J&K before reaching metropolitan cities and major supply hubs which funnel the heroin in the distribution network of the country, and, supply the consignments to the international market. ICE, however is manufactured within the country and supply chains culminate in the international market in Canada and Holland. As far as heroin is concerned, identification of “end recipients” in supply chains is continuing.
The IGP/CI revealed that there was a multiplier effect in the price of heroin as it crosses the international border from Pakistan into India with doubling of the price in the border states. The price increases 3-5 times when heroin reaches Delhi from the border states and 5-10 times when it reaches Mumbai. After transiting through India, the heroin ends up on the streets of North American and European cities. There is manifold increase in the price of heroin when the consignment reaches the international market.
He said that the street price of 1 gm heroin in Punjab was about Rs.2,000/-, making it a rich consumer’s drug of choice, mostly in urban areas. The minimal daily dose for addicts in the beginning is 1 gm while advanced addicts require 2-3 gm per day. All drug consumers cannot afford heroin as it is expensive. Heroin, for a limited consumer market, is pumped back into Punjab from the distribution network based in metropolitan cities and other supply hubs. Presently, the distribution network in Punjab, as far as heroin is concerned stands broken and there is nil availability to the consumers.
Co-ordinated drive to control misuse of prescription drugs
He said the primary consumption of drugs in the state was that of pills, capsules, injections, tablets (prescription drugs) and poppy-husk which are cheap and affordable to the consumers. He said that Punjab Police, besides focusing on busting heroin and ICE trafficking networks has also focused on recovery of affordable intoxicants being taken by drug consumers. One primary problem is the uncontrolled use of pills, tablets, capsules and injections. A focused drive, in co-ordination with the Enforcement officers of Health Department (Drug Inspectors) has been launched as part of a multi-pronged strategy for combating drug trafficking in the state, he added.
The seizures of injections and pills/capsules in the last three years is shown below:-
Year
|
Injections
(In No.)
|
Pills/capsules
(In No.)
|
2011
|
30,572
|
61,39,029
|
2012
|
55,145
|
1,14,61,241
|
2013
|
3,23,056
|
3,06,52,590
|
Stricter regulation is being implemented so that such injections, pills, capsules, tablets etc. become out of the reach of those wanting to misuse them.
The IGP/CI said that apart from the 1.5 kg heroin seizure from Mumtaz Mohammad Ali, another 1 kg heroin and INR 1.6 lakhs have been seized from local smugglers Kuldeep Singh and Surinder Singh today in district Jalandhar Rural. Both these smugglers are real brothers residing in Kapurthala and have been recently released from jail. They were transporting the heroin in Skoda car no. PB-21C 0800 (seized) which was suspected to have been bought from proceeds of drug trafficking. Verification of their property details for freezing/forfeiture proceedings u/s 68-F NDPS Act has been started. Further investigations are ongoing, he added.
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