In a major intelligence-based operation against pharma opioids amid the ongoing war against drugs, Punjab Police busted an interstate network. The network was involved in illegal opioid manufacturing and supply units operating from pharmaceuticals based in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Commissioner of Police (CP) Amritsar, made this announcement on Sunday.
The development occurred after one month of careful investigations into the backward and forward links by the Amritsar City Police. This investigation was initiated following the arrest of a local drug peddler identified as Prince Kumar from Amritsar. Prince Kumar was apprehended after the recovery of 14,500 intoxicant tablets.
CP Amritsar Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that, during questioning, Prince Kumar had disclosed that he was supplying intoxicant tablets on the directions of Major Singh, who contacted him using a mobile phone from Goindwal Sahib Jail. The police have also recovered a mobile phone in the possession of Major Singh inside the jail.
Major Singh was brought on a production warrant. Additionally, following their disclosure, Baljinder Singh, Akash Singh, Surjit Singh, Gurpreet Singh, and all residents of Patti in Tarn Taran, including Harike Mohar Singh, were also detained.
Gurpreet Singh and Major Singh stated that they obtained pharma drug supplies from Sachin Kumar of Kosi Kalan, Mathura. Sachin Kumar owned Elichem Pharma, based in Hapur, Uttar Pradesh.
To arrest Sachin Kumar, a team of CIA-1 under the supervision of DCP Investigation Harpreet Singh Mandher and ADCP CITY-3 Abhimanyu was directed to UP.
After the arrest of Sachin Kumar, it came to light that, in connivance with Yogesh Kumar Rinku of Kosi Kalan, Yogesh, who was incarcerated in Mansa Jail, and Bathinda forged fake documents of Elichem Pharma. They were supplying intoxicant tablets to Punjab. The police also recovered a mobile phone from Yogesh Kumar inside Mansa Jail.
Yogesh and Sachin divulged that they were getting the supply of opioids from Ahmedabad-based Gloss Pharmaceutical. Sachin Kumar meets up with Manish and Rekha, who are manufacturers. They devised a plan to illegally send the pharma opioids to Punjab via Hapur. They forged fake documents for the wholesale unit of Elichem Pharma. The pharma opioids were sent to Hapur by manufacturers in connivance with Yogesh Kumar and Sachin. From Hapur, consignments were then sent to Agra to Akash, who shipped them to Amritsar.
In a joint operation, the ATS Gujarat and Punjab Police teams raided Gloss Pharmaceutical in Ahmedabad and recovered 14,72,220 Tramadol tablets and capsules. Both the manufacturers were also arrested.
From Agra, the police detained Akash and recovered 18,000 intoxicant tablets from his possession. So far, police teams have arrested twelve people in this case.
On December 4, a case was registered under Section 22C of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at the Amritsar city police station.
(Input from various media sources)
(Rehash/Komal Bhoi)
