Chandigarh, Jan 6 (IANS) In a major crackdown on trans-border smuggling, Punjab Police’s Anti-Narcotics Task Force (Border Range), in a joint operation with the Border Security Force (BSF), have recovered 20 kg heroin and apprehended four accused, including the key operative managing the supply chain, state Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Tuesday.

He said preliminary investigation revealed that the accused is linked to Pakistan-based handlers and was coordinating the delivery and distribution of drug consignments across the region.

A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered under the NDPS Act, and the investigation is underway to identify cross-border handlers, trace supply routes, and dismantle the entire network, he added.

Last week, the Amritsar Commissionerate Police busted a cross-border drug smuggling cartel with links to Pakistan-based handlers with the arrest of seven accused and recovered 4.075 kg heroin, one kg methamphetamine, commonly known as ICE, and one 9mm Glock pistol from their possession.

DGP Yadav had said investigation has revealed that the contraband was smuggled from Pakistan and distributed across the state through local modules guided via social media.

Sharing operational details, Commissioner of Police (Amritsar) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar had said that acting on specific and credible intelligence inputs, police teams first apprehended Judgebir Singh and recovered 225 grams of heroin from his possession.

Sustained interrogation and technical analysis of digital communication led investigators further up the supply chain, resulting in the arrest of his associate Jaspal Singh, from whom 1.6 kg of heroin was recovered.

Continuing the operation and acting on disclosures, police teams further apprehended Anmolpreet Singh, Harpinder Singh and Tarunpreet Singh, leading to the recovery of an additional 2.2 kg heroin from their possession, he had said, adding the probe has revealed that these accused were acting as couriers and distributors, operating on the explicit instructions of Pakistan-based handlers, who coordinated narcotic drops and circulation across districts.

–IANS

vg/svn