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Pakistan-linked module’s accused smuggled 40kg heroin in 1 month, say Punjab Police
Police said the proceeds of the smuggled drugs were being transferred via hawala involving some import and export traders
AMRITSAR
Investigations into the Pakistan-linked drug smuggling module busted on September 19 have revealed that the arrested accused has smuggled around 40kg of heroin in the last one month.
The cross-border heroin smuggling module, which was being operated by a drug smuggler from Kapurthala Central Jail, was busted by Amritsar police with the arrest of one of its members based on a tip-off on Tuesday.
With the arrest of the accused, Gurjit Singh of Cheecha village, falling under the Gharinda police station, the police also recovered ₹13.5 lakh of drug money, 850gms of heroin and a car.
Police said Gurjit was working at the behest of drug smuggler Gurwinder Singh alias Mehak, who is lodged in Kapurthala jail and is an accused in a 70kg heroin seizure case. The heroin was seized by Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) at the Mumbai port in July 2022.
“Gurjit has disclosed during his questioning that he had been getting the supply of heroin from an unknown person. The heroin was being smuggled from across the border through various modes, including through the riverine route and via drones,” said a senior police official, privy to the case’s investigation.
He added that Gurjit has also confessed that in the period of the last one month, he has transported around 40kg of heroin. “Earlier, Gurjit used to work on the instructions of his jailed operator Mehak. Later, Mehak introduced Gurjit to some Pakistani smugglers. Gurjit had been in contact with the Pakistani smugglers through social media networks,” the official added.
He further said Gurjit was tasked by the Pakistani smugglers to sell the heroin at ₹11 lakh per kg rate. “Gurjit had been getting ₹1 to 2 lakh per kg as his commission. The proceeds of the heroin was being sent back through various hawala modes,” the official said.
Disclosing the modus operandi of the hawala network, the official said the accused was being provided pictures of ₹10 notes to match them with their numbers with the persons for further transferring the drug money.
“So far, we have found that the drug money was being given to some import and export traders. We have identified some persons involved in the hawala network and our operation is on to nab them,” he said.
He said the possibility of drug money being used for terror funding cannot be ruled out.
Additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP) Abhimanyu Rana, who is in charge of the probe, said their probe to ascertain backwards and forward linkages of the module members is still on.
Gurjit has already been facing two criminal cases, including one registered under the Prisons Act.
Similarly, Mehak has been facing four criminal cases, including the one registered by the Mumbai ATS under the NDPS Act in July 2022.
