Two held with 16 kg heroin in Tarn Taran

The Tarn Taran police busted a cross-border drug smuggling cartel with the arrest of two smugglers here on Tuesday. The police also seized 16 kg of heroin along with a Swift car (registration number PB08-DG-0128) from their possession.

Those arrested have been identified as Manpreet Singh, alias Mannu, a resident of Chheena Maan Patti in Rayya (Amritsar Rural), and Harpreet Singh, alias Happy, of Dhianpur (Amritsar Rural).

A case under Sections 21(C), 25 and 29 of the NDPS Act has been registered against them at the Sadar Tarn Taran police station.

Sharing details, Tarn Taran SSP Ravjot Grewal said acting on a tip-off about cross-border smuggling, a team of CIA staff of the Tarn Taran police intercepted the accused near Tarn Taran district when they were coming from Amritsar to deliver the drug consignment. During checking, the police recovered 16 kg of heroin concealed in their car.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were in contact with Pakistan-based smugglers and were bringing heroin consignments across the border for supply in different parts of Punjab.

The police said both accused will be produced in a court and further investigation is likely to uncover more links in the cross-border smuggling network.

Investigations were on to ascertain the drug route from where it was smuggled into Indian territory. More arrests are likely to be made during the further course of interrogation.