Chandigarh, Feb 28 (IANS) In a major blow to an organised international drug trafficking network, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of Punjab Police has busted an international narcotics network with the arrest of six key operatives involved in the supply of party drugs targeting urban youth, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Saturday. ​

Those arrested have been identified as Rishav, Mukesh Kumar, Lakhwinder Singh, Ravi Kumar, Baljinder Singh and Talwinder Singh. DGP Yadav said the scale of the seizure is unprecedented, marking one of the largest MDMA tablet recoveries in the country. ​

The seized contraband includes 1,215 MDMA tablets, 263 grams of cocaine, 82 grams of methamphetamine (ICE), 1.2 kg of various THC variants, 16 grams of magic mushrooms, and 400 grams of opium, he said, adding drug proceeds amounting to Rs 9 lakh were also recovered from the possession of the accused. ​

The DGP said preliminary investigation has revealed that the syndicate sourced narcotics from abroad through air courier channels and used encrypted social media platforms to coordinate distribution and evade detection. ​

Further investigation is underway to identify other associates. ​

Sharing operational details, Assistant Inspector General (ANTF) Ashwini Gotyal said the action was initiated following specific human intelligence inputs indicating that a drug supplier, identified as Rishav, was operating from an apartment in Kharar town and distributing narcotics within club and party circuits, primarily targeting the youth in the tricity, comprising Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali. ​

Acting swiftly, police teams conducted a well-planned raid at the identified premises, leading to the arrest of suspect Rishav with 1,215 MDMA tablets, 155 gram cocaine, 82 gram ICE, 10 variants of THC weighing 973 grams, 16 grams of magic mushrooms, 400 grams of opium and Rs 3 lakh drug money from his possession. ​

The AIG said further investigation uncovered a broader distribution module based in Ludhiana, which was functioning as a key supply and redistribution hub for the tricity region. ​

Subsequent coordinated raids resulted in the arrest of key operatives — Mukesh Kumar, Lakhwinder Singh, Ravi Kumar, Baljinder Singh and Talwinder Singh — and 108 grams of cocaine, 278 grams of THC, and Rs 6 lakh of drug money were recovered from their possession, the AIG added.

​–IANS

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