Chandigarh: A Special NDPS Court in Fazilka, Punjab, sentenced drug trafficker Arvind Saroye to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 4 lakh for carrying 4.235 kg of heroin hidden in his backpack over three years ago, an NCB official said on Thursday.

Saroye, a resident of Phillaur in Jalandhar, was arrested on June 21, 2022, at Jodhawala in Fazilka, near the India-Pakistan border, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Chandigarh Zonal Unit said.

The court of Additional District Judge-II (NDPS Act), Fazilka, delivered the sentence on Wednesday. The case began after security agencies provided specific and reliable information on June 20, 2022. Coordinating with the BSF, NCB officers seized the heroin during a search in the presence of independent witnesses.

Cocaine Seizure in Bengaluru

In a separate case on Tuesday, the NCB recovered 4.776 kg of cocaine, worth Rs 23.88 crore (street value), from a Brazilian passenger at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru.

The accused had travelled from Sao Paulo to Doha (Qatar) and then boarded a flight to Bengaluru. Officers found four women’s handbags specially modified with false walls and concealed compartments, which contained clothing fabrics chemically infused with cocaine.

The Brazilian national is now under detailed questioning to trace the source, destination, and broader conspiracy involved. Legal action under the NDPS Act has been initiated.

NCB Intensifies Anti-Drug Operations

The recent cases underline NCB’s ongoing vigilance in combating drug trafficking across India, both at border points and airports, targeting large-scale narcotics smuggling networks.