Punjab: 2 aides of Turkey-based smuggler held with 105kg heroin, 6 weapons
Apart from the recovery of heroin, the police teams have also recovered a huge quantity of scheduled drugs, including 31.93kg of caffeine anhydrous and 17 kg of dextromethorphan (DMR), from their possession
The Punjab Police on Sunday said it has busted a cross-border smuggling racket with the arrest of two associates of a Turkey-based drugs smuggler and seized 105 kg of heroin and six weapons.
Terming it as one of the biggest drug seizures, police said they have arrested two associates of Turkey-based drug smuggler Navpreet Singh alias Nav Bhullar.
“In an intelligence-led operation, @PunjabPoliceInd busts a cross-border smuggling racket and apprehends two associates of foreign-based drug smuggler Navpreet Singh @ Nav Bhullar and recovers 105 kg heroin, 31.93kg caffeine anhydrous, 17 kg DMR, 5 foreign made pistols and one desi kata (country-made pistol),” director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said in a post on X.
Those arrested have been identified as Navjot Singh, a resident of Guru Tegh Bahadur Colony in Baba Bakala, Amritsar and Lovepreet Kumar, a resident of Kala Sanghian in Kapurthala.
“Water-route was used to transport drugs from #Pakistan, big rubber tubes of tyres have also been recovered, indicating that narcotic contrabands have been smuggled through the waterway,” he added.
Yadav said apart from the recovery of heroin, the police teams have also recovered a huge quantity of scheduled drugs, including 31.93kg of caffeine anhydrous and 17 kg of dextromethorphan (DMR), from their possession.
“Investigations revealed that the accused persons were using these scheduled drugs as multiplying agents to increase the heroin quantity by four times,” he said.
Sharing operation details, Yadav said that the team of counter-intelligence (CI) Amritsar received a tip-off that a foreign-based smuggler Navpreet Singh alias Nav Bhullar has been operating a Pakistan-backed cross-border smuggling racket using his associates camped at rented accommodation at colony lady road in Baba Bakala.
“An operation was launched and a special checkpoint was established in the area of Baba Bakala, leading to the arrest of accused persons Navjot Singh and Lovepreet Kumar and recovery of seven kg of heroin and a car in which they were travelling, the DGP said
The DGP further said that based on the disclosure statements of the arrested accused, police teams have recovered the remaining 98kg of heroin along with weapons, caffeine anhydrous and DMR from their rented premises, he said.
Further investigations are on to establish backwards and forward linkages in this case, and police teams are on a manhunt to arrest more criminals involved in the drug cartel, police officials said.
A case has been registered under Sections 21, 25 and 29 of the NDPS Act and Section 25 of the Arms Act at Police Station State Special Operations Cell (SSOC), Amritsar.