Himachal Pradesh: Shimla Police arrests drug peddler from Theog

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 11 (ANI): In a significant breakthrough, the Shimla District Police, under the leadership of SDPO Theog Siddhartha, apprehended a drug peddler.

The operation, stemming from follow-up investigations in the case, led to the recovery of 1.5kg of Opium in the Matiana area of the district.

The Suprendent of Shimla Police, Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi said, “The arrest was made possible by coordinated efforts involving the Theog Sub-divisional Police Officer Sidhartha Sharma, Sub Inspector Ankush and supervised by SHO Theog. The apprehended individual, identified as Ravi Giri, hails from Nepal but is residing in Narkanda. He stands accused under Section 29 of the NDPS Act.”

According to Superintendent of Police Shimla District, Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, Ravi Giri is believed to be a major kingpin in the opium drug racket, with financial transactions totalling Rs 3.4 crore since 2022. The investigation is ongoing to trace and seize all illicit movable and immovable properties linked to him.

Gandhi emphasized the thoroughness of the police’s approach in tracking the illegal proceeds from drug activities.

Further details emerged during interrogation, shedding light on the extensive operations Giri was allegedly involved in the case.

The accused will be produced in court as the investigation progresses.

“We have felt the impact of drugs in the region and we have taken impactful action against drugs and drug peddlers. We have arrested over 1000 drug peddlers in the past 15 months. We draw the backward linkage and we find the linkage of illegal trade, how they are connected and to whom they are supplying and how they have been operating it. We had nabbed a person with nearly one and a half kg of opium at Theog Police station, we investigated the chain and we can break the drug supply chain in the district. We found a linkage of another person involved in the drug supply and he was active in the drug trade during the past. And we are trying to investigate how many more people are involved and what is the amount of drug money,” Superintendent of Police Shimla said.

“He (the accused ) works in Theog and lives in Narkanda his name is Ravi Giri. The Theog Sub-divisional Police Officer Sidharth Sharma has worked very well on it and his team of sub-inspectors. We have the challenge to break the drug supply chain and work effectively and take strict action so that anyone wants to work on drug peddling twice before taking any such action,” Gandhi further said.