Punjab Police bust cross-border smuggling module; 5 kg heroin seized
Chandigarh, Dec 1
Amid the ongoing drive to make Punjab a drug-free state, the Punjab Police's Counter Intelligence (CI) Amritsar has busted a cross-border narcotics smuggling module with the arrest of its one operative and recovered 5 kg heroin from his possession, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said here on Monday.
The accused has been identified as Kuldeep Singh, a resident of Bhindi Aulakh Kalan village in Amritsar (Rural).
Apart from recovering the contraband, the police teams have also impounded his Hero Deluxe motorcycle, being used for transporting the consignments.
DGP Yadav said preliminary investigations have revealed that the accused Kuldeep Singh was acting upon the directions of Pakistan-based smuggler identified as Awan, who has been using drones to drop the consignments of narcotics from across the border.
Sharing operational details, the DGP said that teams of the CI Amritsar had received a specific intelligence about the retrieval of a huge consignment of narcotics from India-Pakistan border area falling near Bhindi Aulakh village and the suspect was expected to deliver the consignment to the next party in the area.
Acting swiftly, police team of CI Amritsar intercepted the suspect Kuldeep Singh and recovered heroin consignment from his possession, he added.
Last week, in another major breakthrough, state's Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) had busted a drug trafficking module with the arrest of a drug smuggler and recovered 5.084 kg heroin, 1.681 kg ICE (methamphetamine) and Rs 6,50,000 drug money from his possession.
The accused has been identified as Akashdeep Singh, a resident of Goindwal Sahib in Tarn Taran.
Apart from recovering the contraband and drug money, police teams have also recovered one leather bag and two electronic weighing machines.
DGP Yadav had said that preliminary investigation has revealed links of the accused with a key handler, who coordinates the delivery and distribution of drug consignments.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's heartbreaking to see young men from our own villages getting trapped in this. Kuldeep Singh and Akashdeep Singh... what a waste of life. The real culprits are sitting across the border. We must also focus on rehabilitation and creating opportunities so that poverty doesn't push people into this.
Drones from Pakistan... this is an act of war by other means. They are trying to destroy our future generation. Our BSF and intelligence agencies need to be equipped with the latest anti-drone technology. This is a national issue, not just Punjab's.
While the police action is commendable, I hope the investigation goes beyond the couriers. Who are the "key handlers" and the next party? The network needs to be dismantled completely, from the border to the cities. Arresting the small fish won't stop the flow.
Hero Deluxe motorcycle... the classic choice for these operations. Jokes aside, this is a good catch. But 5 kg is just the tip of the iceberg. For every module busted, how many are operating? The fight is long, but every seizure counts. Bhagwant Mann government seems serious about this.
As a mother in Punjab, this news gives me some relief. We live in constant fear for our children. These drugs are a curse. Thank you to the police teams working on this. Please also educate parents in villages on how to spot the signs. Community vigilance is key.
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