Punjab Police arrests two linked to international smuggling racket

Punjab Police have busted an international drug smuggling module, arresting two individuals and seizing 14 kilograms of narcotics, including ICE and heroin.

Punjab Police on Wednesday said it has busted an international drug smuggling module with the arrest of two persons and recovery of 10 kilograms of ICE (methamphetamine) and 4 kilograms of heroin.

The arrested accused have been identified as Mohit alias Bachi (19), a resident of Pavaar village in Jalandhar, and Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh alias Harman (23), a resident of Kot Khalsa in Amritsar.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that the arrested accused were in contact with a Dubai-based drug smuggler operating from Abu Dhabi-Dubai, and were acting under his directions to traffic narcotics in Punjab and Delhi, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said.

Mohit has recently returned from Dubai, where he was allegedly trained and tasked with transporting consignments of heroin and ICE. The accused were further supplying the narcotics across the Majha and Doaba regions, he said.

Sharing operational details, Amritsar Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that, acting on specific intelligence inputs and in a well-planned operation, police teams apprehended both Mohit and Arshdeep when they were riding a motorcycle.

During their search, police teams recovered 10 kilograms of ICE (Methamphetamine) and 4 kilograms of heroin from their possession, he said.

The commissioner said that during interrogation, Mohit revealed that the Dubai-based smuggler was targeting young labour-class individuals and used to motivate them to participate in drug trafficking activities.

Probe also revealed that Arshdeep, who was already involved in drug-trafficking activities, was in direct contact with the Dubai-based smuggler and was storing heroin consignments sent through unknown persons, which were later handed over to Mohit for further delivery.

In February this year, two associates of the same Dubai-based smuggler, who were identified as Sahibpreet Singh alias Sahib and Gagandeep Singh alias Gagan, were arrested with 7.6 kilograms of heroin and Rs 21,000 cash.

Moreover, the mother and sister of the Dubai-based smuggler are currently lodged in Amritsar Central Jail in connection with an FIR registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act at Raja Sansi police station. The case involved the recovery of 42 kilograms of heroin.

The commissioner said that further investigation is underway to establish backward and forward linkages in the case.