Daijiworld Media Network - Chandigarh
Chandigarh, Jan 27: In a significant operation against cross-border crime, the Amritsar Commissionerate Police have dismantled a narco-arms smuggling network with links to Pakistan, arresting four men and seizing heroin, weapons and cash, Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Tuesday.
The arrested accused — Jaskinder Singh alias Sikander, Harpal Singh, Gurmukh Singh and Sukhdeep Singh — are all residents of Ranian village in Amritsar district. Police recovered 1.5 kg of heroin and Rs 1.98 lakh in drug proceeds from their possession.
In addition to the narcotics, officers seized two sophisticated pistols — a 9mm and a .30 bore — along with 34 cartridges. The weapons were found to be manufactured by the Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF), pointing to their cross-border origin.
According to DGP Yadav, initial investigations indicate that the accused were operating in coordination with foreign-based handlers and Pakistan-based smugglers, maintaining contact through social media platforms. Acting on instructions from across the border, they allegedly retrieved consignments of heroin and illegal arms that were dropped into Indian territory using drones, and then distributed them at various locations in Punjab.
Amritsar Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the arrests were made following specific intelligence inputs. During questioning, Gurmukh Singh and Sukhdeep Singh led police to the recovery of the two pistols, while Jaskinder Singh and Harpal Singh disclosed the location of the heroin consignment.
Further investigation revealed that all four accused are closely related and belong to the same extended family. Harpal Singh and Gurmukh Singh are brothers, while Jaskinder Singh and Sukhdeep Singh are their nephews. Police also noted that the accused are between 19 and 33 years of age and have no prior criminal records.
Investigations are ongoing to trace their foreign handlers and identify the wider network involved in cross-border narco-arms trafficking.