5 cross-border drug traffickers arrested, 3.1 kg heroin seized in Amritsar

The city police arrested five drug peddlers and recovered 3.1 kg of contraband from their possession here on Thursday. Apart from this, the police also seized Rs 2,000 drug money and a car from them. Sharing details of the case, Police Commissioner (CP) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the Chheharta police nabbed Dhalwinder Singh, alias Tindu of Gharinda, with 1.12 kg of commercial quantity heroin in April this year. His interrogation led the police to Sukhdev Singh who was arrested in the case. The police recovered 2 kg of heroin from his possession.

According to the Police Commissioner, Sukhdev, who was currently residing in Dhanoe Khurd village, had developed contacts with Pakistan-based smugglers. He was instrumental in cross-border drug trafficking.

“Sukhdev used to frequently change his residence in order to avoid police suspicion,” the Police Commissioner said, adding that he was continuously retrieving drug consignments from across the India-Pakistan border. Previously, he lived in Jagdev Khurd and Awan Vasau villages, both located near the International Border with Pakistan in Ajnala sub-division, the CP said.

Similarly, the Islamabad police busted a drug cartel with the arrest of four trans-border traffickers, identified as Manpreet Singh, alias Gora, Amritpal Singh, alias Pal, Lovedeep Singh, alias Labha, and Harpal Singh, alias Bhala, all residents of Tarn Taran, the CP said.

Bhullar said they were retrieving drugs dropped by drones at the behest of a Rajasthan-based handler Gopal Singh, maternal uncle of Manpreet, and another notorious drug smuggler Bharat. Gopal Singh originally hails from Harike. He had links with Pakistan-based smugglers and was responsible for sending pick-up locations of drone consignments to Manpreet using virtual numbers.

The probe revealed that Manpreet and Amritpal had their agricultural lands located near the International Border. Harpal Singh used to keep surveillance on fields after drone droppings. He was being paid by Bharat for this.

Amritpal Singh was in contact with Bharat, alias Bhalo, a full-time drug smuggler of Khalra (Tarn Taran). He had two criminal cases, including drug charges, registered against him. Interestingly, they were dropping drugs via drones even in broad daylight. The police had recovered over 1 kg of heroin apart from Rs 2,000 drug money and a car from their possession.

Amritsar