Punjab: 1.01kg heroin, ₹45.37 lakh seized: Cops dismantle 2 smuggling networks; 3 held

The Amritsar commissionerate police have busted two separate drug smuggling networks, arresting three accused and seizing 1.01kg of heroin, ₹45.37 lakh in drug money and a cash counting machine, Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said on Saturday. The crackdown is part of the ongoing efforts by Punjab Police to combat drug menace in the region under the state-wide anti-drug campaign Yudh Nashian Virudh.

The arrested persons have been identified as Rahul Singh alias Kalu, 20, of Thathi Sohal in Tarn Taran, Gurmukh Singh, 21, of village Sudhar Rajputan and Varinderpal Singh, 32, of village Akalgarh Dhaphian, both loacted in Amritsar district.

DGP Yadav said that two separate FIRs have been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Gate Hakima police station and Verka police station, adding that investigations are on to trace the entire smuggling network and its local and international connections.

Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, commissioner of police (CP), Amritsar, said CIA-2 police teams apprehended Rahul Singh from a rented house in Anand Vihar and recovered 510 grams of heroin, ₹30.18 lakh in cash and a currency counting machine.

“Preliminary probe suggests that Rahul was in contact with a Germany-based smuggler, identified as Tony, and was distributing heroin locally after receiving cross-border consignments. An FIR (no 117 dated 16-05-2025) has been lodged under Sections 21-C and 25 of the NDPS Act at Gate Hakima Police Station. Tony originally hails from Punjab,” Bhullar added.

In a separate operation, teams from Verka police station arrested Gurmukh Singh and Varinderpal Singh, recovering 500 grams of heroin, ₹15.19 lakh in cash and a toy drone fitted with a camera, the commissioner said.

“A locker concealed in a bed box at a residence in village Akalgarh has been discovered,it was used for hiding drug money. The drone was allegedly being used for practice purposes by the accused. An FIR (no 40 dated 14-05-2025) has been filed under Sections 25 and 29 of the NDPS Act at Verka police station,” Bhullar added.