2 cross-border narco-smuggling gangs busted in Punjab

Chandigarh, Sep 20 (PTI) Punjab Police on Saturday claimed to have busted two cross-border narco-smuggling modules with the arrest of two persons in Amritsar.

Police recovered 6.286 kg of heroin and Rs 4 lakh from the possession of the accused, Shankar Singh, a resident of Guru Ki Wadali in Amritsar.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused has been in direct contact with foreign-based smugglers, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said in a post on X.

A case has been registered at Lopoke police station in Amritsar Rural, he said.

"Investigation is underway to expose the full nexus, including backward and forward linkages of the network," the DGP said.

In another incident, police arrested Pawandeep Singh, a resident of Beharwal in Amritsar and recovered 5.032 kg heroin from his possession.

Yadav said the module was being operated by foreign-based handler Harpal Singh.

During questioning, Pawandeep revealed that he was working under the directions of his foreign-based handler Harpal Singh, a native of village Kohala in Amritsar and currently living in the USA, he added.

He said further investigations revealed that Harpal, who migrated to the USA around two years ago, appears to have initially had a clean record but may have later become involved in the drug smuggling trade after settling abroad.

The DGP said that counter intelligence, Amritsar had received specific input about retrieval of narcotics consignments from Indo-Pak border area near Dhanoe Kalan village in Amritsar.

A police team intercepted the suspect Pawandeep from near Beharwal villae in Amritsar, when he was going to deliver the consignment to some party and recovered narcotics from his possession, he said. PTI CHS OZ OZ