The Shimla police have arrested two major interstate drug suppliers from Punjab who were involved in two different narcotics trafficking networks. The accused have been identified as Sahil Sharma, a resident of Ludhiana, and Sukhdeep Singh, alias Jais Gill, a resident of Amritsar. Additional SP, Shimla (City), Mehar Panwar, while addressing mediapersons on Thursday, said that the district police had on July 15 arrested three Punjab residents, identified as Dimple Singh, Ankit Kumar and Akash, with 21 grams of chitta (heroin) in Shimla. A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, was registered against them and an investigation was initiated.

The Additional SP said that the police interrogated the trio and also analysed their digital data, including call detail records and digital financial transactions. “The investigation revealed that the three persons had purchased the contraband from Sahil Sharma of Ludhiana. It was also revealed that Akash was in contact with Sahil and he had recently transferred Rs 3,000 to Sahil’s bank account and also paid money in cash. Based on this evidence, a police team was sent to Ludhiana and Sahil was arrested from his residence. An investigation in the case is going on.

Mehar said that another case was registered under the NDPS Act in the Chirgaon area of Shimla district on July 20 after Maninder Singh, a resident of Amritsar, was arrested with 16 grams of heroin. “During interrogation, Maninder disclosed that he had purchased the contraband from Sukhdeep Singh, the main supplier. A police team was sent to Amirtsar and Sukhdeep was arrested. A detailed investigation in the case is underway and the police are examining the involvement of more individuals in these two networks,” she added.