NRI held with 3 kg heroin at Amritsar airport
Thursday, 27/09/2012
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120927/punjab.htm#19
Amritsar : The Customs authorities, working in tandem with the state's Special Operations Cell, the counter-intelligence wing of the Punjab Police, has nabbed two persons, including Canadian resident Sarabjit Singh (22), and recovered 3 kg of heroin worth Rs 15 crore in the international market from their possession.
The Special Operations Cell received information that a consignment of heroin was being smuggled through Guru Ram Das International Airport at Amritsar. It shared the information with the Customs Department that launched a search operation. Heroin weighing 2.92 kg was found in the Sarabjit’s suitcase.
PK Tikoo, Assistant Commissioner, said the Customs authorities also arrested Balwinder Singh of Gunachaur, who drove Sarabjit to the airport.
The Customs officials got suspicious when they found a suitcase with a plywood cover. "We removed the cover to find the contraband," said Tikoo.
He said Sarabjit was well-settled in Canada and it was, perhaps, the lure of easy money that had pushed him towards the illegal trade.
Tikoo said he was pursuaded by Sukhi, a Canada-based notorious smuggler, to carrythe consignment to Canada in return for a handsome reward.
Tikoo said Sarabjit was handed over the contraband on his way to Amritsar.
Amritsar has emerged as a major transit route for smuggling heroin to European countries, say sources.
