Mobile phones come handy for heroin smugglers

Amritsar, Apr 12 (UNI) Mobile phones are coming handy for heroin smugglers in Punjab who use these frequently to contact their counterparts in Pakistan.

The Special Narcotics Cell of the Punjab Police, which has been in operation since its establishment in December last year has sent out repeated reminders to their superiors to take this matter-up with Mobile service provider companies.

Officers incharge of the Cell which has its headquarters here want that Mobile phone companies should effectively jam signals along the Indo-Pakistan border in Punjab, where the tele-density is fairly high as compared to Rajasthan, Gujarat and Jammu.

Quoting interrogation reports of those arrested with heroin in the last four months, officials told UNI here today that barring one mobile company,the signals of other companies are avaliable along the 553 km stretch of the Punjab border.

In fact signals of certain mobile companies operating in Pakistan are also avaliable on cell phones on this side of the border depending on the wind direction and the landscape (height being a consideration).

Interrogation of a heroin courier recently revealed that he had been provided with a cell phone by his employer and even received money for the monthly bills. An employer is described as the middle-man, who hires the courier to carry the drug to a specified place with the actual smuggler remaining in the background.

Another important aspect that has come to the notice of the Narcotics Cell is that those who hire couriers and the smuggler whose money is involved, has three to four SIM cards. A particular SIM is used for normal chat with family members or even with government officials while another is used for contacting the courier and the third is used for establishing contact with the actual smuggler or with their counterparts across the border.

''The entire idea of using differnt SIM cards is to avoid detection or disclosure of identity'', an official said. Security officials are even looking into the aspect of fake identities or addresses being provided to mobile companies for securing a connection.

MORE UNI HS MMS AD RS1419