Excelsior Correspondent
RAMBAN, Jan 4: Banihal police arrested three inter-state drug peddlers along with around 1.30 quintals poppy straw (bhukki) from Nagbal area on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
As per police sources, on specific information, a team from Banihal police station laid a naka at Nagbal area on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and signaled a Punjab bound truck bearing registration number HR38-8917 to stop for checking.
Instead of stopping, the driver accelerated the vehicle and escaped from the spot. Stinking something fishy, the cops chased and intercepted the rashly driven vehicle near some distance from the naka point.
During checking, police recovered 20.400 kilograms of poppy straw (bhukki) concealed in 23 polythene bags.
The inter-state drug peddler identified as Manmeet Singh, son of Hardeep Singh, a resident of Kapurthala Santpura, Punjab was carrying the bhukki to his native village for sale among the people for illegitimate profits.
Meanwhile, Banihal police also intercepted a truck bearing registration number PB3C-9125 and during checking, recovered 110 kilograms of poppy straw packed in 240 polythene packs.
The driver and his associate were arrested by the police and the vehicle was seized.
The accused have been identified as Bavinder Singh, son of Chota Singh of Rajpora, Bhawani Garh, District Sangrul, Punjab and his associate Ranjeet Singh, son of Amar Singh, a resident of Baladh Khurad, District Sangroor, Punjab.
They were trying to smuggle the bhukki from Srinagar to Punjab, but their nefarious designs were thwarted by the Banihal police.
Case under FIR Number 1/16 and 2/16 under Section 8/15 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act have been registered against the accused at Banihal police station and investigation started.
Police team led by SHO Banihal police station Inspector Nazir Ahmed made the arrest under the supervision of SDPO Banihal Mohammad Rafiq and SSP Ramban Randeep Kumar.
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