Punjab Police Busts Major Drug Syndicate, Arrests 10

Punjab Police's ANTF, in collaboration with a central agency, dismantled a drug trafficking ring, arresting 10 people. Recovered items include heroin, charas, pistols, cash, and gold. The syndicate operated in Jalandhar, Amritsar, and Ludhiana. Further investigations are underway.

In a significant crackdown, Punjab Police's Anti Narcotic Task Force (ANTF), along with a central agency, dismantled a major drug trafficking syndicate, arresting 10 individuals. Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav announced the arrests on Saturday. Those apprehended include Chandan Sharma, Akash Sharma, Vishal Singh, Arvinder Singh, Lovepreet Singh, Rinku Thapar, Bharat, Divyam, Pratham, and Ankush Bhatti.

The joint operation led to the seizure of 1 kg of heroin, 381 grams of charas, three pistols (including a sophisticated Glock), 62 live cartridges, two empty shells, Rs 48.7 lakh in cash, 262 grams of gold, and various electronic devices. DGP Yadav revealed that the network's operations spanned Jalandhar, Amritsar, and Ludhiana. The syndicate smuggled drugs from across the border and used the Hawala route to transfer money to Pakistan-based drug traffickers.

Investigations, leveraging advanced technical surveillance and human intelligence, have exposed intricate criminal connections, reflecting ANTF's strategic measures to combat such networks. Special DGP ANTF Kuldeep Singh stated that Lovepreet Singh, the key operative, managed the syndicate's vast network for smuggling drugs and arms across Punjab. Police discovered a hidden closet at Lovepreet's residence used to stash narcotics and Hawala money. A case has been registered under sections 20, 21(c) of the NDPS Act, and section 25 of the Arms Act at Police Station ANTF, SAS Nagar. Further arrests are anticipated.

(With inputs from agencies.)