Shimla, February 27 Police here on Friday said they have arrested the alleged kingpin of an interstate drug trafficking network involved in the trade of 'chitta' (adulterated heroin) in the district, police said.
The accused – identified as Hardeep Singh, a resident of Punjab's Ferozepur – was apprehended from the border district following a raid, they said.
Addressing a press conference here, Shimla Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Abhishek Dhiman said the accused was operating a major drug trafficking network through a virtual number.
He said the network was busted after two Punjab residents were arrested with around 83 grams of chitta from Shimla's Rohru, earlier this month.
"The arrests led to the identification of four more accused associated with the network. Specifically, Virender Singh was the main supplier, while Ashish Chauhan, Naveen Shitta, and Diwan Chitta were local suppliers, selling chitta in the Rohru and Chirgaon area," he said.
"After carefully examining the bank accounts of Jashandeep, police came to know about Hardeep, the kingpin of the network. Hardeep's transactions over the past seven months amounted to Rs 28 lakhs. These transactions included those from Jashandeep, along with others who had transferred money to Hardeep to procure chitta," the ASP said.
He said Hardeep was operating the interstate trafficking network, while Jashandeep supplied chitta in Shimla district with the help of local peddlers.
"So far, seven accused involved in this network have been arrested, and further investigation is underway," the ASP added.
