Punjab Police’s Special Task Force (STF) have busted an illegal drug racket of Tramadol tablets and other habit forming drugs operating pan Punjab and has recovered consignment of over 10 lakh tablets from a chemist.

Addressing a Press conference at STF headquarters SAS Nagar, STF Chief Gurpreet Kaur Deo said the kingpin of this racket, Pardeep Goyal of Shaheed Karnail Singh Nagar, Ludhiana has been arrested in the case. He was operating from his medical store named Platinum Health Care, Pindi Road, Ludhiana. During the search of his residence, 20,500 tablets were recovered by police. She said the chemist was arrested by Bathinda Police during the investigation of a drug peddler Sunil Kumar alias Sonu of Maur Mandi and recovered 1, 56, 000 tablets from his car.

“Accused Sonu led to more banned tablets in the godown of Delhi-Punjab transport company bases at Maur Mandi where Bathinda police have confiscated 9, 11, 400 Tramadol tablets. Sonu disclosed that he has obtained the supplies from Pardeep Goyal,” Deo said.

The STF chief further revealed that the accused chemist has been dealing with a large scale diversion of banned drugs and had obtained a wholesale drug license named as AP Medical Store at Takkar Complex, Pindi Gali, Ludhiana in 2007.

Subsequently, in a raid conducted by a drug inspector, his license was suspended for 21 days. After this, he changed the name of his firm from AP Medical Store to Jai Maa on the same license in 2011. But his license was again cancelled in 2018 after recovery of 7 lakh banned illegal tablets from his premises.

However, accused Pardeep Goyal again started a new firm, viz. Platinum Health Care by using the license of his brother-in-law Sandeep Garg of Solan. During the investigation, it has come to light that he has supplied 70 lakh tablets throughout Punjab, mainly in Amritsar, Phagwara, Hoshiarpur and Bathinda etc. over the last 10 months.

The commissioner, food and drug administration Punjab, KS Pannu informed that almost 16000 licensed chemists are selling pharmaceuticals in Punjab out of which 117 chemist shops were found to be selling banned drugs, resulting in the cancellation of 421 licenses in last five months. He said 15 offending chemists have already been convicted and 10 were declared proclaimed offenders during the period. He further informed that no new licenses would be issued to any chemist if once cancelled.

Deo informed that STF has successfully ensured strict enforcement, resulting in the arrest of 33, 591 drug traffickers till July 14, 2019, besides massive recovery of narcotics, including 759.662 kilograms (kg) heroin and 17.881 kg smack.

Apart from this, the STF has confiscated 97986.416 kg opium, 296.039 kg poppy husk, 296.039 kg charas, 5474.671 kg ganja, 755.126 kg bhang, 0.726 kg cocaine, 10.06 kg Ice, and 344.884 kg intoxicant powder besides seizure of 117008 narcotics injections and 16203651 pills/capsules.

Deo further said STF has apprehended drug traffickers and cut the supply chain of drugs resulting in registration of 27666 FIRs till date.