In a major offensive against narcotics trafficking, the Fatehabad Police have carried out two significant operations, arresting two alleged interstate drug traffickers with more than 13 kilograms of opium and freezing property worth around Rs 30 lakh believed to have been acquired through proceeds of the illegal drug trade.
While speaking to the NDTV, Fatehabad Superintendent of Police Nikita Khattar said, “A CIA Ratia team was conducting routine surveillance near Dhangar Bridge on National Highway-9 after receiving intelligence that a consignment of opium was being transported from Madhya Pradesh to Haryana and Punjab. Acting on the specific input, officers established a checkpoint and intercepted a Honda City car matching the description provided by the informer.”
A search of the vehicle allegedly led to the recovery of 13.06 kilograms of opium, estimated to have an illicit market value of nearly Rs 70 lakh. Police arrested two occupants of the car—a man and a woman—identified as residents of Madhya Pradesh. The vehicle used for transporting the contraband has also been seized.
Investigators are also examining another aspect of the case after noticing that the car carried a certain news channel stickers on both the front and rear. Police suspect the stickers may have been used to avoid scrutiny during travel. Authorities are probing whether the stickers were misused intentionally and if any wider network or additional individuals were involved.
A case has been registered at Sadar Fatehabad Police Station under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Police said the main accused has a previous NDPS case registered in Punjab’s Bathinda district. Officials are expected to seek custodial remand to trace the supply chain and identify other members of the alleged interstate trafficking network.
In a separate development, Tohana City Police froze a residential property worth about Rs 30 lakh belonging to an alleged drug trafficker under provisions of the NDPS Act dealing with illegally acquired assets.
The action followed an earlier heroin recovery case in which another accused reportedly disclosed that he had purchased the narcotic substance from the property owner. Subsequent investigation led police to conclude that the house had allegedly been acquired through proceeds generated from drug trafficking.
ASP Divyanshi Singla said the district police are not only targeting traffickers through arrests but are also focusing on dismantling the financial infrastructure supporting the narcotics trade. She added that with this latest action, illegal properties linked to 34 alleged drug traffickers have been frozen in the district, and similar measures will continue against those involved in the drug trade.
