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) has recovered a haul of nearly 20 kg heroin and apprehended four accused, including the key operative managing the supply chain, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav here on Tuesday.

Those arrested have been identified as Sahibjit Singh, alias Sahib, and Rajwinder Singh, alias Golu, both residents of Old Naraingarh in Amritsar; Ashu Sharma, alias Ashu, a resident of Chheharta in Amritsar, and a 17-year-old juvenile, a resident of Amritsar.

Apart from recovering heroin haul, police teams have also impounded a car and two motorcycles from their possession.

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

Further investigation is underway to identify cross-border handlers, trace supply routes, and dismantle the entire network, he said.

Sharing operational details, Anti-Narcotics Task Force Superintendent of Police Gurpreet Singh said acting on a tip-off about the accused, who had gone towards the border area to retrieve a heroin consignment smuggled via drone, a joint team of the task force and the BSF laid a naka at a strategic location and successfully intercepted all four accused along with a car used in the crime.

The SP said that based on the disclosures of the arrested accused, a joint search operation was conducted in Ghogga, falling under the jurisdiction of the police station of Bhindi Saidan in Amritsar district.

During the search, 19.980 kg of heroin, packed in five packets, was recovered from the agricultural fields near Bhindi Aulakh village, he said. In this regard, a First Information Report dated January 6 has been registered under relevant Sections of the NDPS Act at the police station in Mohali.

–IANS

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