Three Smugglers Arrested in Shimla After Police Seize Major Heroin Consignment

Shimla :  In a major victory for the state's ongoing anti-narcotics campaign, the Special Cell of the Shimla Police intercepted a smuggling operation, arresting three individuals and seizing 242 grams of high-grade heroin, locally referred to as "chitta."

The successful bust took place at a strategically deployed checkpoint near the Shoghi Barrier area on the outskirts of the state capital. Acting on a precise intelligence tip-off regarding an illegal contraband shipment being transported into the city, police commandos barricaded the highway and flagged down a suspicious vehicle. A meticulous search conducted in the presence of independent witnesses led to the discovery of the concealed heroin consignment.

The apprehended individuals have been identified as Inder Dev, a resident of Sunni in Shimla; Moti Sharma from New Shimla; and Suraj Chauhan, a native of Uttar Pradesh's Deoria district currently residing in Kumarsain. Law enforcement officials revealed that the prime suspect, Inder Dev, is a notorious history-sheeter with an extensive criminal background. He faces more than 53 active criminal cases, including nine prior violations under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. He had only recently been released from a three-month preventive detention under the PIT-NDPS Act.

Initial police investigations suggest that the trio operated a highly organized local distribution network, supplying illicit synthetic narcotics to hundreds of vulnerable youths across various regional belts, including Sunni, Rampur, and Kumarsain.

A formal criminal case has been registered at the Baluganj Police Station. Investigators have obtained judicial remand for the accused and are actively analyzing digital footprints, call logs, and bank records to trace the interstate supply chain, uncover hidden financial trails, and identify auxiliary members of this trafficking syndicate.