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77-kg heroin haul: Police use ‘tower dump’ tech to zero in on drug smugglers
According to initial probe, smugglers might have crossed the International Border through the flooded Sutlej river; as per the information gathered from the police, the consignments are said to have been recovered by a counter intelligence team after the accused entered the Indian territory in Palla Megha area
The seizure of 77-kg heroin in Ferozepur, one of the biggest drug busts this year, was result of a meticulously planned operation during which Punjab Police tapped mobile phone application-based conversation between Pakistan-based smugglers and locals.
According to information gathered from the police, the consignments are said to have been recovered by a counter intelligence team after the accused entered the Indian territory in Palla Megha area, from where Pakistan territory is at stone’s throw. Sutlej river criss-crosses between Pakistan and Punjab in this area seven times. The police gathered concrete information from their technical surveillance of Pakistan-based smugglers that a group of Punjab-based smugglers were entering into the Indian territory with a huge consignment meant for Punjab.
Even as the police are tightlipped on the issue if smugglers had gone to Pakistan to pick the consignment, sources said it has emerged in the initial probe that those arrested with drugs had crossed the border through flooded Satluj to bring the consignment. “The smugglers might have crossed the mere 200-300 metre stretch to reach the other side of the border,” said officials.
BSF check posts damaged in area
Due to recent flood situation, it has become tough for the Border Security Force (BSF) to man all vulnerable points along the river. A few check posts of the BSF along the river had also got damaged in the area, thus compelling the force to man the borders from a little behind the original position.
According to sources, a few days ago, two groups were formed by arrested accused Gagga Gill, alias Gagan, and Veer Singh, alias Veeru, Jaspinder Singh and Jagdeep Singh. As per the initial probe, they crossed the International Border through flooded Sutlej river to smuggle drugs. Both the groups received contraband from the same drug lord in Pakistan, said sources. They were arrested by counter intelligence teams in Ferozepur within a difference of few hours.
A counter intelligence wing official involved in the operation said the recovery of two consignments is the result of shift in their strategy in which focus is being laid on tracking the strategies being adopted by Pakistan-based smugglers.
“After procuring contact details and other digital footprints of the smugglers, our teams worked on to crack the communication link with Pakistan-based drug suppliers. Indian smugglers talked to their Pakistan counterparts using mobile phones of other persons and once we cracked the message about delivery of consignment from Pakistan, we zeroed in on many persons within few hours,” said a senior official.
The counter intelligence wing used tower dumping technology to search for Internet Protocol Detail Record (IPDR) of Punjab-based smugglers who had gone to pick the consignment. Tower dump is a technology used to identify a suspect in a crime, by asking mobile tower operators to provide the phone numbers of all devices connected to a specific tower during a given period of time.
CI special DGP RN Dhoke said the seizure is a huge success for the state police that are making concrete efforts to catch the big fish in this trade. “Nothing can be revealed at this stage because probe into the case has just started. It won’t be appropriate to share any operational detail at this stage. Our war against drugs has intensified with more input sharing with the NCB, BSF and other agencies,” said Dhoke.
100-kg heroin recovered in Ferozepur sector in 1 month
Smugglers of Pakistan and Punjab have recently shifted their focus to Ferozepur sector for the supply of heroin, with around 100-kg heroin recovered by Punjab Police in past one month.
“Due to heavy floods in Satluj, chances of smuggling have increased and surveillance along the river has decreased. Ferozepur sector has become more prone to smuggling during this situation,” said a senior Punjab Police official.
