Ludhiana: Khanna police have dismantled a drug supply network with the arrest of eight individuals, recovering 4 kg of opium and 44 kg of poppy husk. Alongside the narcotics, officials seized two tractors, two trolleys, a reaper machine, and a Mahindra Scorpio SUV used for smuggling. Senior superintendent of police (Khanna) Darpan Ahluwalia stated that the operation unfolded on April 13 during a routine check by the CIA Khanna team near Sai Mandir. A tractor-trolley arriving from the Amloh side raised suspicion; though the driver attempted to flee after being signaled to stop, police swiftly intercepted the vehicle using barricades.The SSP noted that four occupants were initially apprehended: Arshpreet Singh and Manpreet Singh of village Poonia, Gurdeep Singh of village Ranwan, and Gurvinder Singh of village Rajgarh. A search of the trolley led to the recovery of the poppy husk and opium. During interrogation, the suspects identified other accomplices—Rohit, alias RP of Machhiwara, and Balwant Singh, alias Sunny of Village Garhi Tarkhana. Investigations revealed that Rohit and Balwant had procured the contraband from Madhya Pradesh using the Scorpio. Further leads identified Karnail Singh of Mandcharodi village and Amarjit Singh of Mithewal village as distributors in the region. Both were subsequently arrested.The SSP added that Sadar Khanna Police have registered a case under Sections 15, 18, 29, 61, and 85 of the NDPS Act. An investigation is currently underway to trace the forward and backward linkages of this racket, and officials indicate that more arrests are likely as the probe continues to uncover the full extent of the smuggling operation.
