Trans-border drug cartel busted in Amritsar, 3 held with 1kg Ice, 2.5kg heroin
Notorious drug trafficker Gurbax alias Lala arrested in Punjab with 1kg Ice, 2.45kg heroin, and precursor chemicals. Facing multiple charges, part of a larger smuggling network.
Three drug smugglers, including a notorious trafficker identified as Gurbax alias Lala of Chheharta, were arrested with 1kg Ice (Methamphetamine), 2.45kg heroin and 520 grams of pseudoephedrine, a precursor chemical, officials said on Saturday.
Confirming the development Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said: “Drug smuggler Gurbax alias Lala has been actively sourcing the precursor chemicals, used to adulterate crude heroin to increase its potent effect, and to manufacture Crystal Methamphetamine (Ice).”
The DGP said that the accused Lala used to earn a commission of ₹50,000 per consignment. DGP identified Lala as a big fish in the drug trade.
A Punjab Police official privy to the probe said that the local drug smugglers are now resorting to local manufacturing of synthetic drugs, like Ice.
According to senior STF officials keeping a close tab on drug-related developments in the state, one of the reasons behind the rise in Ice drug peddling is the decrease in the supply of heroin to Pakistan smugglers from Afghanistan because of the Taliban-led government’s control over opium cultivation.
“There have been reports that Pakistan-based smugglers, who sends heroin into Punjab, keeping in view the future scarcity of heroin, are sending Ice drug packets along with heroin consignments free of cost. The idea is to set up a smuggling network and market in Punjab so that they continue with their nefarious design,” a senior police officer, wishing not to be named, said.
Apart from Lala, the other two arrested drug peddlers have been identified as Daljit Kaur and Arshdeep, both residents of Chheharta. Accused Lala and Arshdeep have a criminal history and both are out on bail.
The DGP said that the Amritsar Commissionerate Police has also traced the backward link of accused Lala and police teams are on a manhunt to nab the kingpin of this narco-syndicate.
“The latest arrests came after meticulous investigations of backward and forward linkages carried out by the Amritsar police after the arrest of a local drug peddler Daljit Kaur from the Kot Khalsa area on June 16, 2024. Kaur was arrested with 50gm of heroin. Kaur’s interrogation further led to the arrest of her accomplice Arshdeep from Chheharta area with 200gm heroin,” a police official said, pleading anonymity.
Sharing more details, Amritsar commissioner of police Ranjit Singh Dhillon said that during the investigation carried out by the special operational team of Police Station Anngarh after the arrest of accused Daljit Kaur and Arshdeep name of Gurbax Lala emerged.
“Lala was then nabbed in an operation spanning over four days and led to the recovery of 1kg Ice, 2.2kg heroin and 520gm of precursor pseudoephedrine,” he added.
Unlike heroin which is a derivative of poppy, Ice can be produced in local chemical factories. Experts see it as a stronger and more addictive substance than heroin.
Dhillon said that the accused Lala is facing cases pertaining to murder, the Arms Act and the NDPS Act. A case has been registered under Section 21-B of the NDPS Act at the Police Station, Islamabad.