Punjab Police’s anti-narcotics task force (ANTF), in a joint operation with the Border Security Force (BSF), busted a Pak-backed cross-border smuggling module, arresting three masterminds and recovering 24.5-kg heroin and ₹21 lakh drug money from their possession, said Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Sunday.
Those arrested have been identified as Jagjit Singh alias Rana, a resident of Noorwal village in Amritsar, Manpreet Singh alias Preet, of Aulakh Khurd village in Amritsar and Roshan Singh, a resident of Dhupsari village in Amritsar.
Apart from recovering heroin and drug money, the BSF and police teams also impounded a multi-copter drone, used by Pak-based smugglers to deliver the consignment from across the border, and two cars, including a Mahindra Thar, which was used to deliver narcotics, the police said.
The DGP said preliminary investigations revealed direct links between the arrested accused and Pakistan-based handlers. Following a deep technical investigation, police teams dismantled this Pakistan-linked cross-border network.
Sharing more details, superintendent of police (SP), ANTF, Gurpreet Singh said that the operation was conducted in two stages; initially, 12.1 kg of heroin along with a multi-copter drone was recovered. Forensic analysis of the drone led to further seizure of 12.4 kg of heroin from the house of Manpreet Singh’s house, he said.
The SP said that accused Jagjit Rana recently purchased properties in posh localities using drug money and was also fond of cars. More arrests and recoveries are expected in this case as investigation progresses, he said.
A case under Sections 21(c) and 23 of the NDPS Act and Sections 25, 26 and 29 of the Aircraft Act has been registered at the ANTF police station in SAS Nagar, officials said.
