Punjab: Cross-border drug smuggling module busted in Amritsar; one arrested with 5 kg heroin

Amritsar (Punjab) [India], September 20 (ANI): In a major breakthrough against cross-border narcotics trade, the Counter Intelligence (CI) unit in Amritsar has busted a drug smuggling network and arrested one operative with 5.032 kg of heroin. The network was being run under the direction of a foreign-based handler, Harpal Singh, said Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Saturday.

The arrested accused has been identified as Pawandeep Singh, a resident of Beharwal in Amritsar.

According to the DGP, preliminary interrogation revealed that Pawandeep was working under the instructions of Harpal Singh, a native of village Kohala in Amritsar who migrated to the USA two years ago. Singh is allegedly in direct contact with Pakistan-based smugglers and has been coordinating the movement of drugs and weapons across the border using drones.

“Investigations so far indicate that Harpal Singh, who initially maintained a clean profile after moving abroad, became involved in drug trafficking after settling in the United States,” said DGP Yadav.

Detailing the operation, the DGP added that CI Amritsar had received specific intelligence about a planned retrieval of a narcotics consignment from the Indo-Pak border area near village Dhanoe Kalan in Amritsar. Acting swiftly, a police team intercepted Pawandeep Singh near the village of Beharwal while he was on his way to deliver the consignment to another party. Heroin weighing over 5 kg was recovered from his possession.

Further investigations are underway to trace both backward and forward linkages of the network and to dismantle the entire nexus.

A case under sections 21 and 29 of the NDPS Act has been registered at the Police Station State Special Operation Cell, Amritsar.

Earlier on Friday, in a major breakthrough against cross-border narco-terror networks, Punjab Police’s Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) Border Range, in a joint operation with the Border Security Force (BSF), busted a drug smuggling module operated by foreign-based gangster Harpreet Singh alias Happy Jatt.

Police arrested key operative Sajan Singh alias Billa and seized 25 packets of heroin weighing 25.9 kg along with a sophisticated 9MM Glock pistol from his possession. (ANI)

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