Sidhu defends traders over heroin recovery

On July 16,over 11 kgs of heroin smuggled from Pakistan,worth Rs 55 crore in the international market,was seized in two operations here.

After the seizure,a few traders who imported the consignment of cement from Pakistan came under the scanner of the Indian customs department.

“It is not the traders who have to be blamed but the Indian customs department for the poor infrastructure at Attari railway station where there are no scanners to negate smuggling of narcotics from Pakistan,” Sidhu said.

“The Centre has spent Rs 150 crore on infrastructure at Attari. It should spend another Rs 10 crore for installing high-powered scanners for trucks. The scanners should be also installed for trains,” Sidhu said.

Meanwhile,cement traders here today announced that they would not import cement from Pakistan till the Indian customs department introduces a facility to scan all goods coming from the neighbouring country.

“We will not import cement from Pakistan till we are assured by the customs department that Indian traders will not be harassed and a facility is put in place to scan all goods coming from Pakistan,” Indian Traders Association of Amritsar said in a statement.