CHANDIGARH: The State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) Amritsar and Counter Intelligence (CI) Amritsar, in two separate operations, busted weapons and narcotics smuggling modules with the arrest of six individuals. They also recovered 2.9 kg heroin and eight high-end pistols along with six live cartridges.
Director General of Police, Punjab Gaurav Yadav said on Friday that those arrested have been identified as Inderpal Singh and Sikandarjit Singh, both residents of Bhindi Aulakh village in Amritsar; Happy Singh alias Veerpal Singh, a resident of Kakkar in Amritsar; Sunil Masih and Rajan Masih, both residents of Mahal in Gurdaspur; and Pardeep Singh, a resident of Noorpur in Amritsar.
Apart from recovering narcotics and weapons, police teams have also impounded their Hyundai Venue car (PB02FC2504) and Splendour motorcycle (PB06BH3781), being used for smuggling activities.
Yadav said that preliminary investigation has revealed that the arrested accused were involved in cross-border smuggling and were receiving consignments of weapons and narcotics through drones for further distribution among criminal elements in the state.
"Further investigation is underway to establish the forward and backward linkages in this case to identify all persons associated with the cross-border network," he said.
He said Punjab Police remain steadfast in maintaining strict vigil against cross-border smuggling and enforcing zero tolerance against narco-crime and illegal arms trafficking.
Sharing details of the first operation, AIG Sukhminder Singh Mann said that CI Amritsar teams had received a reliable input that suspects Sunil and Rajan had received a huge consignment of illegal pistols and were expected to deliver them to their associate Pardeep Singh in the area of village Nurpur in Amritsar.
"Acting swiftly, police teams intercepted the trio and recovered seven pistols from their possession," he said.
In another operation, Mann said that teams from SSOC Amritsar apprehended Inderpal, Sikanderjit and Happy Singh after recovering 2.9 kg heroin and one pistol from their possession.
He added that comprehensive investigations are currently underway to unearth the full scale of the network.
"More arrests and recoveries are likely in the coming days," he added.
In this regard, two separate cases (FIR No. 53) dated August 27 under sections 25 and 25(8) of the Arms Act and sections 61(2) and 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act and (FIR no 52) under sections 21, 25 and 29 of the NDPS Act, section 25 of the Arms Act and sections 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29 of the Bhartiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, have been registered at Police Station SSOC Amritsar.