In a major crackdown over the past month, the Amritsar Police commissionerate has dismantled eight cross-border arms and drugs trafficking modules, resulting in the seizure of 55 pistols, two sub-machine guns, and more than 33 kg of heroin. The operation highlights the ongoing challenge of cross-border crime in the region.
Recent Arrests and Seizures
On Wednesday, police arrested two alleged members of an illegal weapons supply network, including the owner of a de-addiction centre. The suspects were identified as Surjit Singh (33), a resident of Sur Singh village in Tarn Taran, and Gulbagh Singh (26), who operates a de-addiction centre on Bhai Manj Singh Road in Sultanwind, Amritsar. From them, authorities recovered seven sophisticated pistols and 40 cartridges.
The seized cache includes one 9mm Glock pistol, one .30-bore Tisas Turkiye pistol, one specially modified .30-bore pistol, and four .30-bore pistols, along with 40 cartridges. According to police, the accused were in contact with foreign-based smugglers through social media applications and received illegal weapon consignments via cross-border channels.
Police Commissioner's Statement
Police Commissioner (CP) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said teams acted on specific intelligence, initially seizing two pistols from the accused. During sustained interrogation and based on their disclosure statements, five more weapons were recovered, bringing the total to seven pistols. He noted that drone drops were reported from the Tarn Taran border belt, indicating the use of modern methods for smuggling.
Police verification revealed that Surjit Singh was already wanted in a commercial quantity narcotics case registered at the Bhikhiwind police station in Tarn Taran, suggesting his alleged links with organized crime networks.
Cross-Border Smuggling Route
A police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Punjab's border with Pakistan has been serving as a transit point for drugs and weapons. The smuggled weapons are further transported to other parts of the country. Earlier, police had also arrested a resident of Madhya Pradesh who had arrived near the international border to obtain a pistol smuggled from Pakistan.
The sustained operations over the past month underscore the police's efforts to curb illegal arms and drug trafficking in the region. The seizure of 55 pistols, two submachine guns, and over 33 kg of heroin represents a significant blow to cross-border criminal networks.
