In a major breakthrough, the Chandigarh Police have dismantled a Pakistan ISI-backed international drug trafficking syndicate, detaining nine people, including the alleged kingpin, Gurmeet Singh of Jalalabad, Punjab. The operation, spearheaded by the crime branch, led to the seizure of approximately 312.71 grams of heroin and ₹5.12 lakh in drug money.
The investigation began on April 14, when a team led by Inspector Satvinder Singh, acting on credible intelligence, apprehended two drug peddlers — Balkar Singh and Navneet Kaur — and seized 35.17 grams of heroin from them. Their subsequent interrogation revealed critical information that triggered a series of coordinated raids across Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, ultimately exposing a sophisticated Pakistan-supported international drug network. The police had arrested the accused from Bikaner of Rajasthan.
Smuggling Tactics: Pipes & Fog
At the heart of the network was a direct link with Pakistani smugglers — Riyaz Sarwar (alias "Gill") and Aabid Ali from the Kasur region across the border. The gang was led by Gurmeet Singh and his father Satnam Singh, and they used clever smuggling techniques to avoid border surveillance. One such method involved pushing heroin packets through 4-inch water pipes installed near the border fencing, strategically timed around BSF patrol movements.
The gang conducted detailed recce of BSF posts, using marked pillars near the fencing as transfer points. Once the post was clear, smugglers on the Pakistani side would push 2–3 packets of heroin at a time through the pipe, which were then swiftly retrieved by Indian operatives. This is how they used to smuggle consignments so smoothly without physically crossing the border, without the risk of being caught. Each smuggler who used to collect the drugs from the border was paid a commission of ₹1.5 lakh per delivery, and the recipient of heroin in India would make a payment to the Pakistani sender, a share of the proceeds reportedly reached Pakistan's intelligence agency, the ISI.
The network was active since 2019
The smuggling network has been active since 2019, originating when Satnam Singh and known Ferozepur-based trafficker Mahinder Singh teamed up with Pakistani handlers to smuggle 70 kilograms of heroin. Over the past five years, more than 100 kilograms (one quintal) of heroin is estimated to have been brought into India via this method.
Investigators also uncovered evidence of digital connections — Gurmeet Singh was Facebook friends with Pakistani smuggler Riyaz Sarwar, underscoring how social media platforms were used to maintain cross-border criminal contacts.
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