The Amritsar police have successfully dismantled an illegal arms and drug trafficking module allegedly linked to Pakistan-based smugglers by arresting two individuals. The police also recovered 2.225 kg of heroin, six sophisticated pistols, and 12 live cartridges during separate operations.
Police Commissioner Details the Operation
Sharing details on Wednesday, Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar stated that acting on specific intelligence inputs, a team first arrested Sukhdev Singh, alias Sukh (23), a resident of Chicha village under the Gharinda police station. During the operation, the police recovered the contraband from his possession.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused was actively involved in narcotics trafficking and had procured the heroin consignment for further distribution. During interrogation, the police unearthed links to a Pakistan-based smuggler, identified as Maula, who allegedly used drones to deliver consignments of heroin and weapons across the International Border. The contraband was then supplied to criminal elements in Punjab through local operatives.
Second Arrest and Recovery
Expanding the probe, the police further nabbed Harjinder Singh, alias Jinder (37), of Lodhi Gujjar village under the Lopoke police station. During his search, the police recovered four sophisticated pistols, including a China-made .30 bore pistol, two Austria-made Glock 9mm pistols, one US-made Glock 9mm pistol, and eight live cartridges. Further recovery was made on the basis of Harjinder’s disclosure statement, leading the police to seize two more Turkey-made .30 bore pistols along with four additional live cartridges.
Background of the Accused
Bhullar said both accused belong to border villages and have previous criminal records. Sukhdev Singh was already wanted in a case registered under the Arms Act at the Chheharta police station in April this year, in which four of his associates had been arrested with seven pistols and 12 cartridges. He said Sukhdev was the key facilitator who allegedly arranged the supply of illegal weapons through contacts based in Pakistan. Harjinder Singh had earlier been booked in a kidnapping case registered at the Lopoke police station in 2016.
Legal Action and Ongoing Investigation
Separate FIRs have been registered under the NDPS Act and the Arms Act at the Chheharta and Cantonment police stations, respectively. The Police Commissioner said further investigations are underway to trace the entire cross-border network, identify additional associates, and establish backward and forward linkages in the smuggling racket.
