Cross-border drug, weapon smuggling racket busted; 3 held

The Amritsar commissionerate police have busted a cross-border drugs and arms smuggling and hawala racket, with the arrest of three individuals. The police also seized 2.02 kg of heroin, four pistols and Rs 3.5 lakh of hawala money from their possession.

Those arrested have been identified as Harpreet Singh (23), a resident of Kot Mehtab village in Amritsar, Gurpal Singh (21), a resident of Sursingh village in Tarn Taran, and Ranjodh Singh (33), a resident of Viring village in Tarn Taran.

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Thursday said the gang, which was active in the border belt, was using drones to smuggle heroin and weapons from Pakistan. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the arrested accused, Harpreet Singh and Gurpal Singh, who earlier went to Malaysia, are linked with cross-border smugglers, he said.

Sharing operation details, Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said accused Harpreet and Gurpal were earlier arrested with 220 grams of heroin and a motorcycle. On their disclosure, the police arrested Harpreet and Gurpal and recovered 1.8 kg more contraband along with two .30 bore pistols from the pinpointed spot, he added.

He said a probe revealed that accused Harpreet went to Malaysia in 2023 and returned after seven months, while Gurpal went in 2022 and returned in 2023. They were not known to each other in Malaysia, but they had common a Pakistan-based smuggler in contact and on the latter’s directions, they had received the consignments.

“During the interrogation of Gurpal, one more accused, Ranjodh, was nominated and was arrested with two pistols and Rs 3.5 lakh drug money.