The Crime Branch of the Chandigarh Police has busted two inter-state narcotics syndicates operating across the Tricity and Delhi, arresting 12 offenders and seizing cocaine, heroin and ice (crystal meth) valued at more than Rs 8.15 crore in recent weeks, officers said.
Most of the accused, they said, came from economically vulnerable backgrounds and included a door-mat seller, a former street vendor, a shoe polisher, a toll-plaza worker, a delivery agent, a former chemist shop assistant, and small-time shop helpers — all drawn into the drug trade by the lure of “quick money.”
As per Jasbir Singh, Superintendent of Police (SP), Crime, two separate First Information Reports (FIRs) were filed in this regard – on November 7 and November 19.
In the FIR lodged on November 7, the police said a Crime Branch team nabbed Ashwani Kumar alias Ashu from Sector 40 with 47.8 grams of heroin that day. His disclosure led to the arrests of Sonu alias Kallu alias Don and Salman alias Munna from Sector 56 and Maloya, respectively. Sonu was found carrying 100.60 grams of heroin and 2.01 grams of crystal meth.
Further investigation pointed to Sunil alias Darji and Anup, both of whom were subsequently arrested from sectors 38 D and 25, the police said. Their trail eventually led to Bunty, a major interstate supplier operating out of Dhakoli and New Burari in Delhi. A raid at his residence resulted in the recovery of 523 grams of cocaine, Rs 20.64 lakh in cash, gold jewellery, and a black Duster car. A subsequent recovery of 490 grams of cocaine was made from him, alongside heroin, crack balls and cash seized from other accused, the police said.
“The probe so far has revealed that the drug network worked at different levels. Local peddlers like Ashu, Sunil and Salman used to buy small and medium quantities of heroin from Sonu and sold it in the Tri-City area. The main interstate supplier, Bunty, was bringing cocaine from a man named Sunny in Uttam Nagar, Delhi, and he was also procuring other synthetic drugs from African nationals based in Delhi,” said SP Singh.
Together, the FIR recorded 1,025.59 grams of cocaine worth Rs 6 crore, 197.02 grams of heroin, 2.01 grams of crystal meth, Rs 21 lakh cash, jewellery and two vehicles, officers added.
Pushed by poverty
The police said that among the accused, Ashwani Kumar, earlier booked in multiple cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, had been struggling with low-income work. Sonu, an illiterate who had previously worked as a shoe polisher and had also dabbled in small-time money-financing, admitted to having joined the network in a bid to make quick money, they said.
While, Salman, 19, already had a previous NDPS case in his name, Sunil, who earlier sold sunglasses in Sector 17, entered the trade after his financial struggles increased. Another accused, Anup, a mobile-repair worker who had only studied till Class 12, too said that he was in for to make some money, officers said.
Bunty, who once sold women’s clothing on Delhi streets, is believed to be the key cocaine link between Chandigarh and the National Capital, sourcing drugs from a supplier in Uttam Nagar and synthetic substances from African nationals.
6 more arrests
As per the second FIR, registered on November 19, a team of Crime Branch officials apprehended Rahul, 23, an illiterate door-mat seller from Sector 25, and Arun Kumar, 32, a former street vendor. The police recovered 109.56 grams and 36.80 grams of cocaine from them, along with a Mahindra XUV700, Rs 3 lakh cash, jewellery, a note-counting machine and QR-code scanners.
Their interrogation led to four more arrests — that of Inderjeet Singh alias Rohit, Tinku, Akash and Vishal. Vishal, a pharmacy course graduate working at a toll plaza in Amritsar, was found carrying 269 grams of heroin, officers said, adding that Akash, a Class-8 pass delivery agent who had also worked as a peon and helper, possessed 10.37 grams of heroin and 29.48 grams of cocaine. Inderjeet and Tinku had cash worth Rs 15,000 and Rs 2 lakh, respectively, investigators said. Tinku had previously worked at a chemist’s shop and in wedding-related events, the police stated.
The total recovery, as per the FIR, stood at 184 grams of cocaine worth Rs 90 lakh, 279 grams of heroin worth Rs 75 lakh, Rs 5 lakh in drug money, two vehicles, jewellery, a note-counting machine and QR-code scanners.
Network based on minimal contact model
The police said the second syndicate operated largely through digital channels. While accused Arun Kumar used multiple bank accounts and third-party UPI IDs to receive drug payments, Akash routed payments and conducted deliveries.
“The investigation has revealed that the accused were running a drug supply network in the Tri-City and nearby areas. Arun Kumar was the main handler who bought cocaine from suppliers based in Delhi. He also used several bank accounts to receive drug money. Arun has been supplying cocaine to Rahul for the last one year,” the SP said.
“Rahul was contacted by local buyers and delivered drugs by placing them at milestone locations and sharing photos and location pins to avoid meeting anyone directly. He received drug money through third-party bank accounts with the help of Akash, who handled transactions and supplies,” the officer added.
“Inderjeet Singh @ Rohit (Arun’s brother-in-law) acted as a middleman between Arun and a Punjab-based supplier named Gill, whom he knew through Instagram, SP Singh said.
According to investigators, the pattern is clear – vulnerable young men working low-income jobs were pulled in by fast cash and the minimal-contact model enabled by UPI transfers and drop-point deliveries.
Investigations in both cases are continuing, and the police are expecting to make further arrests as the interstate drug chains are traced to their origins in Delhi and Punjab.
Chandigarh Police Crime Branch officials during a press conference at Police Headquarters, Sector 9 Chandigarh on Monday (Express photo) 
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