Punjab Police busts cross-border drug smuggling rackets, arrests three in two cases

Chandigarh, May 17 (PTI) The Punjab Police on Saturday said it busted two smuggling networks with the arrest of three men and seizure of 1.01 kilogrammes of heroin and Rs 45.19 lakh in cash.

Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the arrested accused were identified as Rahul Singh alias Kalu (20) of Thathi Sohal in Tarn Taran district, and Gurmukh Singh (21) of Sudhar Rajputan village and Varinderpal Singh (32) of Akalgarh Dhaphian village, both in Amritsar district.

Yadav said two separate FIRs under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act had been registered at the Gate Hakima and the Verka police stations.

Further investigation is underway, he said.

Commissioner of Police (Amritsar) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said police teams arrested Kalu, and seized 510 grams of heroin, Rs 30.18 lakh in cash and a cash counting machine from his rented home at Anand Vihar in Amritsar.

Preliminary investigation indicated that he was in contact with Tony German, a smuggler based abroad, and was supplying heroin locally after receiving consignments from across the border, Bhullar said.

In another operation, Bhullar said teams from Verka police station arrested Gurmukh Singh and Varinder Pal Singh and seized 500 grams of heroin, Rs 15.19 lakh in cash and a toy drone fitted with a camera.

The money was recovered from the bed-box at a house located in Akalgarh village, he said. PTI CHS CHS SZM SZM