In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, Kangra Police arrested two women involved in Chitta smuggling from Delhi Airport while they were attempting to escape to Canada. The arrests were made following a detailed investigation initiated after three youths were caught with narcotics in Dharamsala earlier this year.
According to Superintendent of Police Kangra, Shalini Agnihotri, the sequence of events began on the night of January 21, 2025, when a Dharamsala Police team, acting on a tip-off, intercepted a vehicle (HP39B 9902) during a routine patrol. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 30 grams of Chitta from three occupants: Shashank Bisht, a resident of Dehradun, along with Ayush and Savatang Shahi from Dharamsala. A case was immediately registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Dharamsala Police Station.
During interrogation, the accused revealed that they had procured the drugs from two women from Punjab, identified as Kulwant Kaur and Germanpreet Kaur. Further investigations unearthed financial transactions amounting to approximately Rs 4.50 lakh through UPI payments to the bank accounts of these women, solidifying their links to the drug trade.
A technical analysis of the suspectsтАЩ mobile phones placed their last known location near Delhi Airport. Acting swiftly, a special police team was dispatched from Dharamsala to Delhi on February 28, 2025. After extensive efforts, both women were apprehended inside the airport on March 3, 2025. During the search, authorities recovered their passports, confirming their intentions to flee to Canada.
The arrested women are currently being interrogated to uncover the full extent of the drug network and identify other members involved in the illicit trade. Authorities are also scrutinizing their financial records, properties, and bank accounts to determine the assets accumulated through drug smuggling.
Kangra Police reaffirmed their commitment to cracking down on illegal activities and ensuring stringent action against those involved in drug-related offenses. The department continues to intensify its efforts to curb the spread of narcotics in the region.
