Cross-border drug racket busted; seven nabbed with 4 kg heroin, ICE

The Amritsar police have busted a cross-border drug smuggling cartel with alleged links to Pakistan-based handlers by arresting seven persons. The police also seized 4.075 kg of heroin, 1 kg of methamphetamine (ICE), and a 9 mm Glock pistol from the accused.

Those arrested were identified as Judgebir Singh alias Judge (21) of Jasraur village; Jaspal Singh alias Jass (22) of Ajnala; Dawinder Singh alias Bau (33); and Mandeep Singh (24) of Bua Nangli village in Amritsar. The others include Anmolpreet Singh (19), Harpinder Singh alias Bhinda (32), and Tarunpreet Singh (20), all residents of Sandalpur and Lopa villages in Gurdaspur district.

Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said on Tuesday that preliminary investigations revealed the contraband was smuggled from Pakistan and distributed across Punjab through local modules operating under the directions of handlers based across the border. Communication and coordination were allegedly carried out through social media platforms.

Sharing operational details, Bhullar said the police action was initiated based on specific and credible intelligence inputs. Police teams first nabbed Judgebir Singh and recovered 225 grams of heroin from his possession. Sustained interrogation and technical analysis of digital communications led to the arrest of his associate Jaspal Singh, from whom 1.6 kg of heroin was recovered.

The operation was subsequently expanded, leading to the arrest of Anmolpreet Singh, Harpinder Singh, and Tarunpreet Singh, resulting in the recovery of another 2.2 kg of heroin. The Police Commissioner said investigations revealed that these accused were working as couriers and distributors, executing instructions from Pakistan-based handlers who coordinated narcotics drops and distribution across multiple districts.

During the same operation, the police also apprehended Dawinder Singh and Mandeep Singh during routine patrolling, recovering a 9 mm Glock pistol and a motorcycle. Their interrogation led to the recovery of 1 kg of ICE.

The Police Commissioner said investigations revealed that Judgebir Singh was previously involved in an attempt to murder case, while Jaspal Singh was already facing prosecution under the Arms Act. Similarly, Dawinder Singh had two cases registered under the NDPS Act. It also emerged that Dawinder had returned to India around one-and-a-half years ago after living in Dubai for nearly a decade, where he allegedly developed contacts with international drug smugglers.

Two separate FIRs have been registered at the Sadar and Cantonment police stations in this connection. Bhullar said further arrests and recoveries are likely in the coming days.