Police busted two inter-linked, cross-border narcotics smuggling cartels with the arrest of five persons and recovered 7kg of heroin from their possession, said Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav Tuesday.
Those arrested, all belonging to Amritsar district, have been identified as Deepak Singh alias Deepu of Harkrishan Nagar in Chheharta, Prince Singh of Kohala village, Rajinder Singh alias Ghuddu, Randeep Singh alias Dil and Gurpreet Singh, all natives of Sensra Kalan village. Besides recovering heroin, police teams also impounded a motorcycle being used for drug trafficking.
In a release, the DGP said preliminary investigation revealed that the accused were in contact with a Pakistan-based smuggler, who was sending consignments via drones and coordinating distribution of drugs across the state through local handlers.
Sharing operational details, Amritsar commissioner of police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said in a targeted operation based on reliable input, police teams arrested Deepak and recovered 1.3 kg of heroin from his possession. During interrogation, an additional 2.6 kg of contraband was recovered, he said.
During further investigation regarding the common Pakistan-based handler, police teams arrested three more accused — Rajinder, Randeep and Gurpreet with 1.01kg heroin. On further disclosure of the accused, their associate Prince was also apprehended and 2kg heroin was recovered from his possession, Bhullar added.
{{/usCountry}}During further investigation regarding the common Pakistan-based handler, police teams arrested three more accused — Rajinder, Randeep and Gurpreet with 1.01kg heroin. On further disclosure of the accused, their associate Prince was also apprehended and 2kg heroin was recovered from his possession, Bhullar added.
{{/usCountry}}Deepak has a criminal past and a case under the NDPS Act has been registered against him in Khanna, the police commissioner said.
Two cases have been registered against the accused under Section 21-C of the NDPS Act at the Chheharta police station and Cantonment police station, police said.