CHANDIGARH: Striking a major blow to the trans-border narcotic smuggling networks amidst the ongoing war against drugs launched on the directions of Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Police have busted an elaborated drug smuggling cartel with the arrest of its two kingpins after recovering 10Kg heroin and one sophisticated drone from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Sunday.
The arrested smugglers identified as Dalbir and Jagdish, both residents of Gharinda in Amritsar, were engaged in drug trafficking for the last three years and have no criminal case registered against them.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that the Amritsar Rural Police led by SSP Swapan Sharma in an intelligence-based operation has successfully busted this drug smuggling cartel, which had been smuggling contraband to states including Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh after importing them from cross-border using drones.
He said that the USA made sophisticated drone recovered from the duo smugglers, is a DJI series drone, worth Rs 20 lakhs, having hi-tech features including long-lasting battery back up and infrared-based night vision camera. This is the fifth such drone recovered in less than a month, he added.
Divulging more details, SSP Swapan Sharma said that both the smugglers have been evading arrest by using altered modus operandi to carry out smuggling of contraband.
These big fish had a well oiled distribution network in the neighbouring states, which has been identified, he said, adding that the Police teams have been conducting raids at 12 locations in Haryana and Delhi, and more contraband seizures will follow.
An FIR No. 224 dated 25/12/2022 has been registered under sections 21 and 23 of the NDPS Act Police Station Gharinda.
Pertinently, Amritsar Rural Police have successfully seized 39Kg heroin in the last five months. Tight vigil along the second line of defence and close coordination with the BSF authorities has resulted in these huge seizures.
FIVE DRONES RECOVERED IN A MONTH
November 29: A hexacopter drone carrying six packets of heroin, weighing 6.68 kg, was recovered in the jurisdiction of Border Outpost (BOP) Harbhajan in Khemkaran, Tarn Taran
November 30: A broken quadcopter drone was recovered from the area of village Van Tara Singh in Khalra, Tarn Taran
December 2: A hexacopter drone carrying five packets of heroin, weighing 5.60 kg, was recovered from the Khemkaran area in Tarn Taran
December 4: A quadcopter drone loaded with three packets of heroin, weighing 3.06Kg, was recovered from area of Border Outpost (BOP) Kalia in Tarn Taran
December 25: A DJI series USA made Hi-tech drone, worth Rs 20 lakhs, recovered along with 10Kg heroin by the Amritsar Rural Police