SHIMLA: In its largest crackdown on drug trafficking in three years, the District Shimla Police has busted 75 interstate drug networks and arrested 59 key suppliers in 2026 using backward linkages.
Addressing the media on Thursday, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shimla, Gaurav Singh, said that the arrested main suppliers were operating from various states, including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Kerala.
By comparison, during the same period in 2025, police had arrested seven main suppliers and dismantled four networks. In 2024, seven suppliers were arrested and two networks were broken during the corresponding timeframe.
In its latest drive, the police tracked down and arrested two alleged main suppliers operating from Punjab following investigations into two separate cases.
Ludhiana Supplier Nabbed After Hotel Raid
The first case stems from an FIR registered at Sadar Shimla police station on July 15. Acting on a tip-off, the Special Cell Shimla raided a city hotel and arrested three Ludhiana residents—Sagar Singh (19), Akash (18), and Ankit Kumar (23). Police recovered around 21 grams of heroin (chitta) from their joint possession and registered a case under Sections 21 and 29 of the NDPS Act.
During interrogation, police analyzed mobile digital data, Call Detail Records (CDR), and online transactions, which revealed that the seized heroin was purchased from Sahil Sharma, a resident of Ludhiana. Investigation established that Akash was in regular contact with Sahil and had transferred ₹3,000 online to Sahil’s bank account on July 7, 2026, with the balance agreed to be paid in cash. Audio recordings and chat logs were retrieved as crucial electronic evidence.
Based on the evidence, a team from Sadar Shimla police station traveled to Ludhiana and arrested Sahil Sharma from his residence on July 18. Police revealed that Sahil has a prior criminal record, including a theft case in 2023 and a snatching case in 2025.
Amritsar Link Uncovered in Chirgaon Operation
The second case relates to an FIR registered at Chirgaon police station on July 20. Police intercepted and arrested Maninder Singh (23), a resident of Amritsar, during a checkpoint drive based on secret information. A total of 16 grams of heroin was recovered from him, leading to a case under Sections 21 and 29 of the NDPS Act.
During questioning, Maninder disclosed that he had purchased the contraband from Sukhdeep Singh alias Jass Gill, also a resident of Amritsar. A police team subsequently went to Amritsar, where Maninder identified the location where the deal took place on July 19.
Police located Sukhdeep Singh alias Jass Gill at the spot and seized an Oppo mobile phone containing the active phone number provided by Maninder. Call records corroborated the link, leading to Sukhdeep’s arrest under Section 29 of the NDPS Act.
