Punjab Police said it has busted a cross-border drug smuggling module by apprehending two persons and seizing 64.62 kg of heroin from their possession in Amritsar.
Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav on Saturday said the recovery marked a major success under the Punjab government’s anti-drug campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’. The operation was carried out jointly by the Counter-Intelligence wing of Punjab Police and the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC), Amritsar.
The arrested accused have been identified as Sarwan Singh alias Gujjar, a resident of village Awan Wasau in Amritsar, and Shamsher Singh alias Shera, a resident of village Dial Rangar in Amritsar.
Apart from recovering a large quantity of heroin, the police also impounded the car allegedly used for transporting the narcotics. Initial probe indicated connections of the module with Pakistan-based smugglers and a handler operating from Portugal.
“The cross-border trafficking network has also been linked to notorious Pakistan-based smuggler Moosa, whose name had surfaced in the 532-kg heroin seizure case,” the DGP said.
In 2019, Indian Customs officials had made a record recovery of 532 kg of heroin at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) Attari. The DGP said further probe is underway to identify and dismantle the entire smuggling network.
Sharing operational details, Assistant Inspector General (SSOC) Amritsar Sukhminder Singh Mann said police received reliable intelligence that the accused had retrieved a heroin consignment dropped by a drone from across the border a few days earlier. He added that the inputs revealed the accused were on their way to deliver the consignment to another person on the instructions of their handlers.
Acting on the information, the SSOC Amritsar team intercepted the accused near Mahal Bypass in Amritsar and seized 64.62 kg of heroin from their possession. The accused were allegedly promised a huge payment by their handlers. Police said more arrests and further recoveries are expected as the probe progresses.
An FIR has been registered under relevant Sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam at Police Station SSOC, Amritsar.
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