Chandigarh Police bust inter-state drug and arms racket, four arrested

In a sweeping pre-Independence Day crackdown, the Chandigarh Police Operations Cell has busted a major inter-state network of arms suppliers and drug peddlers operating across Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh. The operation, which police say has also averted a potential gang war in the region, led to the arrest of four individuals in different FIRs and the recovery of narcotics and illegal firearms.

Working under the guidance of SP Operations Geetanjali Khandelwal (IPS) and the supervision of DSP Operations Vikas Sheokand, the teams led by Inspector Ranjit Singh and Inspector Operations mounted targeted intelligence-based raids.

The accused — Ajit Singh alias Karam Singh (24) of Mandi, Amar Singh (35) of Kullu, Rishab Dev (30) of Mandi, and Shamshad Ali alias Jaggi (26) of Fatehgarh Sahib — were taken into custody in separate cases registered between August 6 and 11. The combined haul from these operations included 1.79 kilograms of charas (hashish), 53.90 grams of heroin, a pistol and a country-made desi katta. Police believe the source of the charas was Himachal Pradesh, while the heroin and weapons were being routed through organised gang networks with links abroad.

Case-by-case breakthroughs

The first breakthrough came on August 6, when Ajit Singh was apprehended in Chandigarh’s Mauli Jagran area with 494.44 grams of charas. Formerly employed as a waiter in a Panchkula hotel, he allegedly became involved in drug trafficking after meeting peddlers from Mandi and Kullu, sourcing narcotics from Himachal Pradesh for distribution in the Tri-city area.

His interrogation led police to Amar Singh, arrested on August 8 in Sector 26, Chandigarh, with 708 grams of charas. A habitual offender, Amar Singh was convicted in 2016 by a Himachal court for possession of 1.25 kilograms of charas and sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment. Released on bail only a few months ago, he is accused of resuming the supply of drugs from Kullu to local distributors.

On August 11, the team caught Rishab Dev in Sector 27, Chandigarh, with 588 grams of charas. Investigations revealed that he allegedly cultivated cannabis alongside vegetables on his farm in Mandi, processed it himself, and transported it under the guise of vegetable deliveries to the Tri-city.

The fourth arrest was perhaps the most significant. Acting on a tip-off, police nabbed Shamshad Ali alias Jaggi on August 8 near NMIMS College, IRB Complex Road, with 53.90 grams of heroin. Described as a “proclaimed offender” in an earlier case from Bassi Pathana, Fatehgarh Sahib, and a known habitual criminal with multiple FIRs for attempt to murder and under the Arms Act, he is alleged to be a sharpshooter for the Harpreet alias Happy gang. This gang, police say, is directed from Portugal, with weapons and targets assigned for hits in Punjab and Chandigarh.

Shamshad Ali is accused of supplying firearms to gang members and heroin to local peddlers in Mohali and Chandigarh. During his police remand, investigators recovered a pistol and a country-made desi katta based on his disclosures. His associate, Gurjant alias Janta, is reportedly in Italy and remains under investigation.

Averting violence and dismantling networks

Chandigarh Police emphasised that Shamshad Ali’s arrest likely prevented a major gang confrontation in the region. With kingpins operating from abroad, the local cells reportedly relied on individuals like Ali to execute targeted violence and sustain the drug trade.

Senior officers said that with the Independence Day celebrations and the festive season approaching, the Operations Cell intensified vehicle checks and surveillance across the Union Territory. The arrests, they said, were the result of sustained intelligence-gathering and coordination, and represent a significant dent in the arms–drugs nexus feeding crime in the Tri-city area.

“All four accused are being interrogated to unearth the wider network. Our focus is on tracking both the supply chain of narcotics and the arms pipeline, particularly links to cross-border and overseas handlers,” said Geetanjali Khandelwal, SP Operations, Chandigarh.

Recoveries made

• Ajit Singh — 494.44 grams of charas
• Amar Singh — 708 grams of charas
• Rishab Dev — 588 grams of charas
• Shamshad Ali alias Jaggi — 53.90 grams of heroin, one pistol, one country-made desi katta