Chandigarh: Around 2.5 kg of gold and 79,000 Euros were seized by the Narcotics Control Bureau and the Punjab police during raids conducted in the Jalandhar and Ludhiana regions of the state. The raids were conducted in a follow-up of the 40 kilograms heroin seizure case that was busted last year in Ludhiana.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Chandigarh zone on Friday arrested one Sunny Verma, one of the main accused in the heroin seizure case. Following his questioning, the operations were conducted by the NCB and the counter-intelligence (CI) wing and the anti-drug Special Task Force (STF) of the Punjab police.
Verma allegedly played a pivotal role in handling payments for the international drug syndicate that was dismantled by the NCB last year. He is also a key associate and brother-in-law of Akshay Chhabra, the kingpin of the drug syndicate. Chhabra was arrested last year.
So far, the NCB has arrested 18 people in connection with the heroin seizure case. Disclosing details about Saturday's operation, the NCB official said they seized a total of 79,000 Euros, suspected to be proceeds from drug trafficking activities. Besides, 2.5 kilograms of gold were recovered during the operation, said the official.
The official further said that the collaboration between NCB, Chandigarh and the CI and STF of the Punjab police has been instrumental in combating drug trafficking. The arrests of all the main accused of the international network. along with the recovery of drug money and gold, are significant milestones in the ongoing efforts to curb drug-related crimes. Further investigations are underway to uncover additional details regarding the network involved in the illicit drug trade, the official added. (With agency inputs)
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