In a major crackdown on smuggling networks, the Amritsar commissionerate police have busted two international narco-arms and narco-hawala syndicates, leading to the recovery of 1.15 kg heroin, five sophisticated pistols and ₹9.7 lakh drug money, said Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav here on Friday.
Sharing details of the first operation during a press conference, Amritsar commissioner of police (CP) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said in an intelligence-led operation, police teams arrested three individuals involved in a narco-arms module, and recovered five sophisticated pistols, including three 9MM Glock pistols and two .30-bore Chinese pistols, along with cartridges from their possession.
He said preliminary investigations revealed that two of the arrested accused, Jaspreet Singh Chauhan, alias Kalu, 26, of Sokha Bhaini village in Barnala, and Harpreet Singh, alias Happy, 25, of Bholoke village in Gurdaspur, had recently returned from Malaysia, and were in touch with their handlers in Malaysia and Pakistan.
They came to Amritsar along with their friend Tejbir Singh, 21, of Basti Lal Singh village in Tarn Taran, and on instructions of their handlers, picked up weapon and drugs consignment, he said. These were meant to be further delivered to criminal elements to carry out crimes.
The recoveries resulted in an FIR under Section 21-C of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and Section 25 of the Arms Act at the Sadar police station in Amritsar.
{{/usCountry}}The recoveries resulted in an FIR under Section 21-C of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and Section 25 of the Arms Act at the Sadar police station in Amritsar.
{{/usCountry}}In another operation, the CP said police uncovered a narco-hawala network operated by Karnataka natives Abdul Rehman, 45, and Pardeep Pintu, 44, who routed drug proceeds to Dubai through illegal channels.
Apart from the duo, four more accused were arrested, identified as Danish, alias Gaggu, 19, of Dashmesh Nagar in Amritsar; Saloni, 19, of Kot Khalsa in Amritsar; Jobanpreet Singh, alias Joban, 28, of Meharbanpura village in Amritsar; and Kulwinder Singh, 28, of Kakka village in Ludhiana.
A total of ₹9.7 lakh drug money and 150 gm heroin were recovered from their possession.
The accused were booked under Sections 21-B, 29 and 27-A of the NDPS Act at the Islamabad police station in Amritsar.
Further investigation was on, and more arrests and recoveries were likely in coming days, Bhullar added.