CHANDIGARH: The Counter Intelligence (CI) unit of the Punjab Police in Amritsar has busted a cross-border smuggling module with the arrest of four men near Khasa in Amritsar.
The police have recovered 27 kg of heroin, a sophisticated foreign-made .30-bore PX5 pistol and three cartridges from them.
The investigation has revealed a suspected link with a Dubai-based handler, Karan Singh, who allegedly arranged the consignments. Police are investigating his role and also other members of the cross-border drug network. The accused are being questioned by the CI team.
Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Wednesday that the arrested men have been identified as Vishal Singh alias Shalu, Manpreet Singh alias Sunny and Smartpreet Singh, all residents of Bhalla Colony in Chheharta, Amritsar, and Karan, a resident of Bhusse village in Tarn Taran.
Yadav said the preliminary investigation showed that the accused were working with a Dubai-based operative and cross-border smugglers. After collecting consignments of drugs and illegal arms, they were allegedly supposed to supply them to others on the instructions of their handlers.
Police also impounded a black Splendor motorcycle (PB02-CW-6647) and a grey Honda Activa (PB02-EX-4503), which were allegedly being used for smuggling.
The accused were also allegedly using encrypted communication platforms to contact their handlers to evade detection by the police.
Yadav said CI Amritsar teams had received specific information that Vishal, Manpreet, Smartpreet and Karan had obtained a drone-dropped consignment of heroin and arms from the Indo-Pak border area near Attari. They were allegedly supposed to deliver the consignment to another party near Adda Khasa in Amritsar.
Acting on the information, police teams raided the area and intercepted the four men near the bus shelter at Khasa. During the search, police recovered the smuggled items.
Yadav said further investigation was underway to establish the complete backward and forward linkages of the case and identify all those involved in the smuggling network.
A case has been registered at the Police Station, State Special Operation Cell, Amritsar, under Sections 21, 25 and 29 of the NDPS Act and Section 25 of the Arms Act.