In a major drug haul, the Punjab Police and the Special Task Force (STF) have busted an illegal drug racket of Tramadol tablets and other habit forming drugs operating pan Punjab recovering a consignment of over 10 lakh tablets in Bathinda.
This is another drug haul after Amritsar-manufactured pain-killer drug, Tramadol, was found used by the ISIS militants in Syria. Tramadol, the opioid-based tablets are a schedule H drug under the NDPS Act and used as a painkiller, can be sold only on prescription.
The police maintained that Tramadol tablet is sold for Rs 5.50 on prescription. However, the same tablet costs Rs 50 to Rs 60 when sold illegally.
Making the disclosures, STF chief and Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Gurpreet Kaur Deo on Tuesday said that the kingpin of this racket, Pardeep Goyal of Ludhiana’s Shaheed Karnail Singh Nagar, has been arrested who was operating from his medical store — Platinum Health Care, Pindi Road, Ludhiana.
During the search of his residence, a total of 20,500 tablets were recovered by the police.
Deo revealed that the accused chemist was arrested by Bathinda Police during investigation of a peddler Sunil Kumar alias Sonu of Maur Mandi and recovered 1.56 lakh tablets from his Hyundai car. “Accused Sonu led to his confession for storing more banned tablets in the godown of Delhi-Punjab transport company bases at Maur Mandi where Bathinda police has confiscated 9,11,400 Tramadol tablets. Peddler Sonu disclosed that he has obtained the supplies from Pardeep Goyal,” she said.
GOYAL — A HABITUAL OFFENDER
STF chief revealed that the accused chemist, Pardeep Goyal, has been dealing with large scale diversion of banned drugs and had obtained a wholesale drug license named as AP Medical Store at Takkar Complex, Pindi Gali, Ludhiana, in 2007.
“Subsequently, in a raid conducted by a drug inspector, his license was suspended for 21 days. After this, he changed the name of his firm from AP Medical Store to Jai Maa on the same license in 2011. But his license was again cancelled in 2018 after recovery of seven lakh banned illegal tablets from his premises,” pointed the police.
However, accused Pardeep Goyal again started new firm, Platinum Health Care, by using the license of his brother-in-law Sandeep Garg of Solan. During investigation, it has came to light that he has supplied 70 lakhs tablets throughout Punjab, mainly in Amritsar, Phagwara, Hoshiarpur and Bathinda etc, over the last 10 months, said Deo.
421 CHEMIST SHOP LICENSES CANCELLED IN FIVE MONTHS
Punjab Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu informed that almost 16,000 licensed chemists are selling pharmaceuticals in Punjab out of which 117 chemist shops were found to be selling banned drugs, resulting in cancellation of 421 licenses in last five months.
He said that 15 offending chemists have already been convicted and 10 were declared proclaimed offenders during the period. No new license would be issued to any chemist if once cancelled, he made it clear.
100 IDENTIFIED DRUG PEDDLERS TO BE ARRESTED
STF chief Gurpreet Deo informed that strict enforcement has been ensured resulting in the arrest of 33,591 drug traffickers till July 14, 2019, besides massive recovery of narcotics, including 759.662 kg heroin and 17.881 kg smack.
Apart from this, STF has confiscated 97,986.416 kg opium, 296.039 kg poppy husk, 296.039 kg charas, 5,474.671 kg ganja, 755.126 kg bhang, 0.726 kg cocaine, 10.06 kg Ice and 344.884 kg intoxicant powder besides seizure of 1,17,008 narcotics injections and 1.62 crores (1,62,03,651) pills or capsules.
“STF has apprehended drug traffickers and cutting the supply chain of drugs resulting in registration of 27,666 FIRs till date. More than 100 major drug traffickers have been identified to be apprehended in due course of time,” she said.
STF KEEPING WATCH ON JAILED PEDDLERS
Deo said that the STF is also coordinating with the Jails Department for keeping a close watch over incarcerated drug traffickers. Besides, joint operations are being conducted in border districts in close coordination with the Narcotics Control Bureau, she added.
“In addition to this, task force is working in close coordination with the district police and other agencies to maintain strict vigil so as to eradicate the scourge of drugs in Punjab,” she added.