Amritsar (Punjab): In a significant blow to cross-border drug trafficking, the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), Border Range, in coordination with the Border Security Force (BSF), recovered nearly 20 kilograms of heroin and arrested four individuals, including a minor, during a joint operation on Tuesday.
Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said the seizure was part of the state government’s intensified campaign to eliminate narcotics from Punjab. 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 from Chheharta, Amritsar; and a 17-year-old juvenile. Police also seized a Maruti Brezza car and two motorcycles allegedly used to transport the contraband.
According to the DGP, initial investigations suggest that the accused were in contact with handlers based in Pakistan and were involved in coordinating the retrieval and onward distribution of heroin consignments smuggled across the border. He added that further probes are underway to identify foreign handlers, map supply chains, and dismantle the wider smuggling network.
Providing details of the operation, SP ANTF Border Range Gurpreet Singh said police had received precise intelligence indicating that the suspects were heading towards the border area to collect a drug consignment dropped using a drone. Acting on the input, a joint ANTF-BSF team set up a naka at a strategic point and intercepted the suspects along with their vehicle.
Following disclosures made during questioning, security forces carried out a search near Border Outpost (BOP) Ghogga under the jurisdiction of Bhindi Saidan police station in Amritsar district. During the operation, five packets containing 19.980 kilograms of heroin were recovered from agricultural fields near village Bhindi Aulakh.
An FIR has been registered under Sections 21, 25 and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Police Station ANTF, SAS Nagar. Police said investigations are continuing to trace both forward and backward links in the case.
