Police have arrested former Punjab Ranji Trophy player and coach of Ludhiana District Cricket Association Rakesh Saini for allegedly smuggling opium.

He was nabbed from a barrier during routine checking on Sunday, police said.

Police said they had recovered 440 grams of opium from him in Ludhiana.

During preliminary investigations, Saini told the police that he had brought the opium from Rajasthan.

He has been booked in a case under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, police said.