Police bust two drug cartels backed by Pakistan-based smugglers, 3 held

Punjab Police have busted two cross-border drug smuggling cartels being operated by Pakistan-based smugglers, arrested three traffickers, and recovered a total of 9.2kg of heroin from them.

Giving details of the first operation, Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said following reliable inputs, police teams from Chheharta Sahib apprehended two drug smugglers from Shiva Enclave in Rajasansi area and recovered 8.2kg of heroin, a release by the police said.

Those arrested have been identified as Bachitar Singh of Jathaul village in Amritsar and Sunny of Guru ki Wadali in Chheharta. Accused Bachitar Singh was a proclaimed offender in a murder case at Gharinda police station in 2021.

Apart from recovering 8.2kg of heroin, police teams recovered ₹95,000 and an electronic weighing machine, besides impounding their Swift car. An FIR has been registered under Sections 21-C and 23/29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Chheharta.

In another case, police teams from Ranjit Avenue set up a checkpoint at Ranjit Avenue Bypass and arrested Amandeep Singh of Ranian village in Lopoke and recovered 1kg of heroin from him. Police teams impounded his Volkswagen Vento car, in which he was travelling.

A case was registered under the NDPS Act at Ranjit Avenue police station.

Commissioner of police (CP), Amritsar, Ranjit Singh Dhillon said the accused were in touch with Pakistan-based smugglers, who were supplying the drugs via drones.

“Efforts are being made to ascertain the total amount of narcotics procured by the accused persons till date,” Dhillon said.