In one of the largest drug seizures by Uttarakhand’s Special Task Force (STF), two individuals from Khatima town, Udham Singh Nagar, were arrested late Friday for possessing approximately 1.5kg of heroin.
The arrested men, identified as Harvinder Singh (45) and his nephew Jasdeep Singh (22), are residents of the Sitarganj area in Udham Singh Nagar. Jasdeep, a man with a troubled past, had previously been caught in Mexico attempting to enter the United States via the “Donkey route.” Following his deportation, Jasdeep joined his uncle in the drug trade, hoping to make quick money to fund his desire for an American visa.
According to SSP Ayush Agrawal, the duo was apprehended after the Kumaon unit of the STF received a tip-off. Acting on the information, officers intercepted their car near a temple that night. Upon searching the vehicle, the police discovered heroin, which has an estimated value of Rs 4.5 crore in the international market.
During their interrogation, Harvinder and Jasdeep revealed they had purchased the heroin from a man named Bablu in Bareilly and were planning to sell it to a buyer named Lala in Nepal. Harvinder, who had been involved in drug trafficking for about two years, was joined by his nephew only six months ago. The police also confiscated their car, a country-made pistol, and six cartridges.
The investigation is ongoing, with law enforcement working to identify and arrest other members of the drug network involved in this operation.
