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Directorate of Enforcement (ED) carried out search operations on February 3 in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) case at 10 different premises in villages Sheron, Naushera Pannuan and Bugha of district Tarn Taran in Punjab.
The business and residential premises of Skattar Singh alias Laddi, Gajjan Singh, Makhan Singh, other members of their family and some associates were searched under the provisions of PMLA, 2002. During the course of the search, various pieces of incriminating evidence were recovered and seized relating to numerous immovable properties worth crores of rupees in the names of the above-mentioned persons, members of their family and their associates. A few packets of psychotropic substance appearing to be opium and its derivate products including Heroin were also recovered from the residential premises of Skattar Singh and his family at village Sheron. Therefore, the request was made to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for verification and testing of the suspicious products. As per the NCB officials, the substance recovered was suspected to be heroin weighing approximately 2.2 kg which was tested and seized by them in the presence of ED officials. Also, some packets of white powdery substance were recovered from the shop of Skattar Singh, Proprietor of Baba Sidana Trading Company at Nausheran Pannuan for which NCB was requested for its verification and testing. As per the NCB officials, the same appeared to be suspected Narcotics contraband material weighing 13.980 kgs which they seized in the presence of ED officials. Arms and ammunition totaling two rifles and three pistols, and some cartridges were recovered during the search operation. These included one rifle, two pistols and cartridges found at Skattar Singh Laddi and one rifle, one pistol and some cartridges found at the residential premises of Makhan Singh, brother of the said Skattar Singh. The said arms and ammunition were reported to the local police authorities. Since original licenses were not available for some of the arms recovered from residential premises, the same was handed over to the local police authorities. Jalandhar Zonal Office of the ED had taken up an investigation under PMLA, 2002 against the above-mentioned persons on the basis of multiple FIRs against Hardev Singh alias Rambo S/o Makhan Singh and others under various sections of NDPS Act and Arms Act which are the Scheduled Offences under the PMLA, 2002 in order to ascertain the scope and extent of money laundering activities indulged by them and for tracing the proceeds of crime. Hardev Singh is presently incarcerated in Central Jail, Amritsar following the recovery of 4 Kg of Heroin by Punjab Police in 2018. (ANI)
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