In a major breakthrough, Amritsar Commissionerate Police has busted a trans-border narco-smuggling module with the arrest of two repeat offenders, who were previously caught in 2015 along with two Pakistani nationals, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Sunday. He said that this time, the police have recovered 10 kg of heroin from the arrested drug smugglers identified as Sukhdev Singh (60) of village Talwani Bharath in Batala and Avtar Singh alias Tari (45) of village Baghiari in Amritsar, who had managed to get back into the smuggling business after being released from jail on bail.
Police teams have also impounded their Toyota Etios car used for transporting the heroin, he added. As per the information, two Pak-nationals had crossed the border in 2015, to deliver the 19.5 Kg heroin consignment to arrested drug smugglers Sukhdev Singh and Avtar Tari, and the latter had also provided them shelter at their house.
Punjab Police had arrested all four accused persons after recovering 2.5 kg heroin, ₹65 lakh drug money, one pistol and one rifle. Accused Sukhdev Singh came out of jail last year and Avtar Singh came out on bail in month of September. DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigations have revealed that after coming out of the jail, the arrested individuals again made contact with Pakistan-based smugglers and managed to retrieve at least three consignments of heroin dropped via drones, in last few months.
Further investigations are ongoing to trace backward and forward linkages in this case, he added. Sharing operation details, Commissioner of Police (CP) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that based on reliable intelligence inputs, police team from CIA staff-1 led by Inspector Amolakdeep Singh executed a special operation under the supervision of DCP Investigations Jagjit Singh Walia, ADCP Investigations Navjot Singh, and ACP Detective Kuldeep Singh.
Acting on confirmed information, the team apprehended both the accused persons near Mullechak village at Sua Bridge, while they were enroute to supply heroin to another smuggler in their car, he added. The CP said that probe in on identify drug suppliers, dealers and buyers within the network. Efforts are also being made to ascertain the total quantity of drugs procured by the arrested individuals so far, he said.
A case FIR No. 223 dated 22-12-2024 has been registered under sections 21(C), 23 and 29 of the NDPS Act at Gate Hakiman Police Station in Amritsar.