Two arrested with huge quantity of drugs, illegal weapons in Tarn Taran

The police have busted an international narco-terror smuggling module with the arrest its two operatives with 5 kg of heroin and illegal arms. Those arrested were identified as Lovepreet Singh, alias Love, and Jagroop Singh, both residents of Fateh village Chak in Tarn Taran. Besides 5 kg heroin, the police also recovered seven sophisticated pistols — including four .30 bore Beretta, two PX5 and one .30 bore Star Mark, Rs 7.20 lakh drug money and currency counting machine — from the possession of the accused. The police impounded their hatchback Hyundai i20 car.

Abhimanyu Rana, SSP, Tarn Taran, said Lovepreet Singh was in direct contact with Pakistan-based smugglers and his foreign handlers. The consignments were being dropped with the help of drones from across the border. The SSP said acting swiftly on reliable inputs, a police team of CIA staff under the supervision of DSP (Detective) Gurinderpal Singh Nagra conducted a targeted operation and apprehended Lovepreet Singh and Jagroop Singh near Molsari Palace on the outskirts of Tarn Taran, near Kakka Kandiala village, on Thursday night.

The SSP said Lovepreet disclosed that he lived in a rented house at Green Avenue, near Chabal Chowk, Tarn Taran, which he was using as a safe haven for concealing the contraband. He said efforts were on to uncover the entire network of drug suppliers, dealers, buyers and hawala handlers.

The SSP said further investigation was on to establish forward and backward links in the case. More arrests and recoveries could likely be made in the coming days, he said.

A case under Sections 21(c), 23, 25 and 27 (a) of the NDPS Act and Section 25 (8) of the Arms Act was registered against the two accused at the Tarn Taran city police station, the SSP added.

Punjab