Punjab Police bust cross-border drug cartel; 5 kg heroin seized

Chandigarh, Oct 28 (IANS) In a major intelligence-led operation, Punjab Police's Counter Intelligence in Ferozepur has busted a cross-border drug cartel with the arrest of its operative and recovered 5 kg heroin from his possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Tuesday.

The accused has been identified as Gurpreet Singh, alias Gora, a resident of Habib Wala village in Ferozepur.

Besides seizing 5 kg of heroin, police teams have also impounded Gora's motorcycle, which he was riding.

DGP Yadav said preliminary investigation has indicated that the consignment was smuggled from across the border by Pakistan-based smugglers.

Further investigation is underway to unravel the entire network.

Sharing operational details, Assistant Inspector General (Ferozepur) Gursewak Singh Brar said acting upon inputs, the police have carried out a secret operation in the Ferozepur area, during which suspect Gurpreet was apprehended.

He said the accused was going to supply this consignment to another operative at the direction of a Pakistan-based smuggler.

The identity of another operative and the role of the Pakistan-based smuggler, along with its broader network, are under comprehensive investigation, he added.

Earlier this week, the police's Special Operation Cell of Amritsar apprehended an operative of a terror network and recovered two improvised explosive devices (IEDs), weighing around 2.5 kg each, packed with high-grade RDX and equipped with timers for detonation.

The accused has been identified as Manpreet Singh, alias Tiddi, a resident of Kotla Tarkhana village in Amritsar. He was previously involved in two criminal cases registered in the police stations of Batala and Kalanaur.

After spending around one and a half years in Gurdaspur and Amritsar jails, he was released in February, and he subsequently resumed his criminal activities.

The preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused was working on the directions of his handlers based in Armenia, Britain and Germany, who are further receiving instructions from a Pakistan-based mastermind of a banned terrorist organisation.

--IANS

vg/svn