Chandigarh Police busts two international drug-peddling gangs

The arrested accused have been identified as Akashdeep Singh, alias Akash, Shamsher Singh, alias Shera, and Gurlal Singh, alias Lala, who were arrested in a case registered at police station 36, Chandigarh, and Shufaa alias Shufee, a Tanzania citizen, currently residing in New Delhi arrested in another case, registered police station 17, Chandigarh. Both the FIRs have been registered under the NDPS Act.

The operation cell received a tip-off that two international drug-peddling gangs are active in Chandigarh. They are supplying drugs in Chandigarh. One drug peddling gang was operating from Govindwal, Jail (Punjab) and another from Delhi.

The operation cell, led by Inspector Ranjit Singh, apprehended Akash and Shera, recovering 297.40 grams of heroin from their possession.

Police said that the two accused were part of a drug network operated by Lala, currently lodged in Govindwal Jail. Investigations revealed that the gang was linked to the ISI and was involved in sending drug money to Pakistan through hawala channels.

In another operation, the police arrested a Tanzanian national, Shufee, from ISBT (Inter State Bus Terminal) Sector 17, Chandigarh, and seized 100 cocaine/crack balls from him.

Shufee, residing in Uttam Nagar, Delhi, is believed to be operating a drug network in the Delhi-Punjab region. She was previously convicted in 2018 for possession of a commercial quantity of heroin and sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment, police said.

During the raid, the police also uncovered an alarming connection between the drug racket and ISI’s spying activities. Shera and his cousin Lala were found to be in touch with an ISI agent in Pakistan. They had also allegedly collaborated with Bhawani Singh, a railway official who was honey-trapped by a Pakistani agent named Nimi.

Police added that Bhawani had reportedly shared sensitive information on the Indian Army vehicles, arms, and training centres with the ISI in exchange for money. The Rajasthan Police is also investigating Shera and Lala for their involvement in this espionage case.

The police teams, after receiving secret information about these gangs, had set up checkpoints in Chandigarh, eventually arresting the suspects. The main accused, Akashdeep, was nabbed near ISBT, Sector 43, while Shera was caught after a late-night chase through muddy wheat fields near the Indo-Pak border in Punjab.

Following the arrests, the police obtained a production warrant for Lala and took him into custody from Govindwal Jail. Further investigations are underway to trace the financial transactions and identify other associates involved in the drug trade, said police.