Three smugglers held in Punjab's Gurdaspur, around 18 kg heroin recovered

His role is being further investigated, Yadav said.The arrested accused had been into supplying drug consignment previously too, he said.Among those arrested includes a woman. The arrested accused belong to Sangrur and Mansa in Punjab, he said, adding that further investigations in the case are on.

The Punjab police busted an inter-state drug cartel and arrested three smugglers, including a woman, with around 18 kg heroin, officials said on Thursday.

The accused, who were transporting the heroin via Srinagar to Amritsar, were nabbed Wednesday late night at Gurdaspur, they added.

Sharing the details about the operation on Twitter, Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said, ''Big blow to narcotic smuggling networks, @PP_Gurdaspur busted an inter-state drug cartel and recovered 17.960 Kg Heroin with an arrest of 3 smugglers who were transporting it via #Srinagar to #Amritsar.'' An FIR has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, Yadav added in his tweet.

Further investigation is underway to arrest more suspects involved in the drug cartel, the DGP said. Gurdaspur Senior Superintendent of Police Harish Dayama said the accused had brought the consignment from Srinagar.

''They had brought it from Srinagar and were supposed to deliver it to somebody in Amritsar. The accused had stayed in a Shikara in Dal Lake in Srinagar,'' he said.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that a handler in the case was based in the USA. His role is being further investigated, Yadav said.

The arrested accused had been into supplying drug consignment previously too, he said.

Among those arrested includes a woman. The arrested accused belong to Sangrur and Mansa in Punjab, he said, adding that further investigations in the case are on.