In a major success against cross-border narcotics smuggling, Punjab Police on Wednesday busted a Pakistan-backed drug smuggling racket by arresting two smugglers with 7 kg of heroin and 5 pistols. The smugglers identified as Gurmukh Singh and Jagwant Singh, both residents of Punjab's Tarn Taran district, were also carrying five live cartridges and five magazines. According to the press release from the Punjab Information And Public Relations Department, Punjab DGP said, "In a major blow to the trans-border smuggling amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per vision of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Police has busted Pak-backed drug smuggling racket with the arrest of two persons and recovered 7kg heroin and five pistols-- including four 9MM Glock pistols and one .32 bore pistol-- from their possession."
Police nabs smuggler after getting tip off
"Apart from recovering heroin and weapons, police teams have also recovered five live cartridges and five magazines from their possession, besides, impounding their Swift Dzire car" the release said. DGP Gaurav Yadav said they got secret information that two smugglers on their Swift Dzire car were going to deliver a weapon consignment. Acting on it, Amritsar Rural Police teams conducted a special barricading near village Muhawa in the area of Gharinda and arrested the accused persons after recovering five pistols and ammunition from their possession.
"He said that during questioning, the arrested accused persons disclosed that along with weapons they had also retrieved heroin, which they kept concealed near their house. Following their disclosure, Police teams conducted a raid at a location pinpointed by the accused persons and recovered 7Kg heroin," as per the release. As per preliminary investigations, the DGP said, both the arrested accused were directly in touch with Pak-based smugglers and were involved in supplying weapons and drugs consignments across Punjab. The weapons and drugs were smuggled into India from Pakistan via drones.
Police to investigate further links
Giving additional details, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amritsar Rural Satinder Singh said that investigations are ongoing to establish the backward and forward linkages in this case. The Pakistan-based smuggler and persons to whom the accused were to deliver the weapon consignment will also be identified. The Police teams is also eying to initiate the forfeit procedure against the illegally acquired property of the smugglers under section 68F of the NDPS Act, he added. "In this regard, a case FIR no. 170 dated 16/7/2024 has been registered under section 25 of the Arms Act and sections 21, 25 and 29 of the NDPS Act at Police Station Gharinda in Amritsar Rural," the release stated.
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