Chandigarh, Oct 4 (PTI) Punjab Police on Friday claimed to have unearthed a drug syndicate with the arrest of two persons and recovered 1.50 kg heroin from their possession.
The heroin was found hidden in half-sleeves jackets, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said.
The accused have been identified as Sukhdeep Singh alias Raja, a resident of Bhana in Faridkot and Krishan, a resident of Ajaib in Rohtak.
Police also impounded a car, which they allegedly used to smuggle narcotics in the guise of operating a taxi.
DGP Yadav said preliminary investigation revealed that these drug consignments were bought from an Afghan national based in Delhi, which exposed their network with international drug cartels and their tactics of hiding heroin in jackets to evade detection.
During the initial interrogation, the accused said they had smuggled four consignments of heroin in connivance with a Kotkapura-based notorious drug smuggler identified as Lakhwinder Singh in the last two months and the recent 10 kg of heroin was bought in September, which was delivered in Moga.
Lakhwinder, who faces at least 10 cases related to drug, is said to be the key person of this module and has been managing the entire drug network, said police.
The DGP said police teams are on a manhunt to nab Lakhwinder.
Further investigations are on to establish linkages in this case, he added.
Police said a tip-off was received that two members of a drug syndicate, in possession of heroin, were coming from Delhi towards Mohali in a white car.
Police teams led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Bikramjit Singh Brar put up a checkpoint near Dappar toll plaza in Lalru and successfully intercepted the vehicle, leading to the arrests and recovery of narcotics, she said.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Mohali, Deepak Pareek informed that arrested accused Sukhdeep also had a criminal history with a kidnapping case registered against him in 2020.
The SSP said the accused had also rented an accommodation in SAS Nagar to facilitate their drug smuggling operations.