Five sentenced to jail for smuggling heroin

Chennai, Apr 4 (UNI) Five people, including two Sri Lankans, have been sentenced to 12 years rigorous imprisonment for smuggling 8.5 kg of heroin.

The Additional District Judge and Special Judge for the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Court, Salem, sentenced three accused to 12 years RI on four counts, one to 12 years RI on three counts and the other on two counts. The sentences would run consecutively. He also slapped a fine of Rs 1.25 lakh on each of them for each count, yesterday.

A release from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), South zonal unit, here today said sleuths of NCB had intercepted a lorry near a petrol bunk on NH-7 in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu on January 31, 2004, and found 8.5 kg of heroin concealed in a specially made cavity in the lorry behind the driver's seat.

Two occupants of the lorry, Narendra Kumar Sharma and Abdul Salam Rasithu, were arrested under the provisions of the NDPS Act. In a follow up action, police arrested one Mohammad Nizam, a Sri Lankan who had arranged, procured and assisted in transportation of the drug, at Ujjain railway station in Madhya Pradesh, the release said.

Later, police arrested Mohammad Riyal, a Sri Lankan remand prisoner in a district jail at Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh, on February seven, 2004, and one Shernawaz Khan.

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