CHANDIGARH: In a joint operation with the Border Security Force (BSF), the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of the Punjab Police busted a cross-border smuggling module with the arrest of three persons and recovered 24.5 kg of heroin and Rs 21 lakh in cash from their possession.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused had links with Pakistan-based handlers, officials said.
The arrested persons have been identified as Jagjit Singh alias Rana of Noorwal village, Manpreet Singh alias Preet of Aulakh Khurd village and Roshan Singh of Dhupsari village all are in Amritsar district, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said here on Sunday.
Apart from heroin and cash, the BSF and police have also recovered a multi-copter drone, which was used by Pakistan-based smugglers to deliver the consignment from across the border, and two cars, including a Mahindra Thar, being used to deliver the narcotics.
Following a deep technical investigation, police teams have successfully dismantled this Pakistan-linked cross-border network, Gaurav Yadav said. He said that further investigation is ongoing to establish forward and backward linkages in this case.
Sharing more details, Superintendent of Police of ANTF, Gurpreet Singh, said that the operation was conducted in two stages, as initially 12.1 kg of heroin along with a multi-copter drone was recovered. Forensic analysis of the drone, including its technical data, latitude-longitude and tower dump analysis, led to a further seizure of 12.4 kg of heroin from the house of Manpreet Singh, bringing the total recovery to 24.5 kg of heroin.
Singh said that one of the accused, Jagjit Rana, has 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 the investigation progresses," he said. In this regard, a case has been registered under sections 21(c) and 23 of the NDPS Act and sections 25, 26 and 29 of the Aircraft Act at Police Station ANTF SAS Nagar.