The Amritsar Commissionerate Police have busted three cross-border drug and illegal arms smuggling modules with the arrest of 10 accused, said Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Saturday.
The arrests led to the recovery of 5.4 kg heroin, three sophisticated pistols and ₹4,500 drug money in all.
The recovered weapons include one 9MM Glock pistol, one 9MM Zigana pistol and one .32-bore pistol, along with 34 live cartridges. Police teams also impounded one motorcycle.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said preliminary investigation revealed that the arrested accused were in contact with Pakistan-based smugglers through social media platforms. Heroin and illegal weapons were being smuggled into Indian territory and further distributed across different areas through a well-organised network, he said.
Sharing details of first operation, Amritsar commissioner of police (CP) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said acting on specific secret information, police teams apprehended Gurpreet, alias Billa, 21, of Guru Ki Wadali in Amritsar, and recovered 230 gm heroin from his possession.
Further investigation led to the arrest of his accomplices Lovepreet, alias Love, 25, of Boparai Baj Singh village in Amritsar and Satnam Singh, alias Judge, 28, of Sursingh in Tarn Taran. They were found carrying 3 kg heroin, one each 9MM Zigana and 9MM Glock pistols, along with 32 live cartridges.
{{/usCountry}}Further investigation led to the arrest of his accomplices Lovepreet, alias Love, 25, of Boparai Baj Singh village in Amritsar and Satnam Singh, alias Judge, 28, of Sursingh in Tarn Taran. They were found carrying 3 kg heroin, one each 9MM Zigana and 9MM Glock pistols, along with 32 live cartridges.
{{/usCountry}}The CP said Lovepreet was also wanted in a murder case registered at the Lopoke police station in Amritsar Rural.
In a related operation, Bhullar said police teams also apprehended Manpreet, alias Manna, 30, and Gurlal, alias Dima, 38, both from Tarn Taran, after recovering 205 gm heroin, ₹4,500 drug money and one motorcycle from them.
Based on their disclosures, police arrested Gurpreet, alias Gopi, 24, who was running the module from jail, he said. His accomplices, identified as Shankar Kumar, 53, Anish, alias Yakki, 23, and Ravi, alias Ganja, alias Takla, 30, were also arrested, and 2 kg heroin was recovered. All four hail from Tarn Taran district.
Bhullar said in another operation against illegal arms, police teams arrested Rohit, alias Dakku, 21, of Mohkampura in Amritsar, and recovered one .32-bore pistol, along with two live cartridges from his possession.
Police have registered three separate cases under relevant sections of the Arms Act and NDPS Act Cantonment, Islamabad and Mohkampura police stations in Amritsar.
The DGP said further investigation was underway to establish forward and backward linkages, and dismantle the entire network.