Amritsar police have arrested a juvenile and a 28-year-old man, Lovepreet Singh alias Love, in connection with a cross-border drug smuggling operation, seizing a total of 8.3 kg of heroin and Rs 2 lakh in suspected drug proceeds. The arrests came during investigations into two separate NDPS Act cases registered at Chheharta and Islamabad police stations.
Initial Arrests and Recovery
Acting on specific intelligence, police teams first apprehended Lovepreet and the juvenile, recovering 2 kg of heroin from their possession. During sustained interrogation, the juvenile disclosed further details, leading police to recover an additional 3.01 kg of heroin and Rs 2 lakh in cash, believed to be proceeds from drug trafficking. This brought the initial recovery to 5.01 kg.
Expanded Investigation Uncovers More Heroin
Further investigation revealed a second cross-border smuggling module allegedly operated by the same Pakistan-based handler. Based on fresh intelligence, police conducted a targeted operation and recovered an additional 3.368 kg of heroin, raising the total seizure to 8.378 kg.
Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar stated that investigations showed the accused were in direct contact with Pakistan-based smugglers, who used drones to send narcotics consignments across the International Border. The accused would collect the consignments and distribute them to various locations in Punjab.
Network Details and Ongoing Efforts
The police commissioner noted that the accused were independently linked to Pakistan-based smugglers through separate channels but remained in contact with each other as part of the wider narcotics supply chain. Both individuals reside in villages close to the international border, indicating their strategic role in facilitating cross-border drug trafficking.
Police have identified and nominated two more accused in the case. Efforts are underway to arrest them and dismantle the entire cross-border smuggling network, Bhullar said. Separate cases under the NDPS Act have been registered, and further investigation is in progress.
