Punjab Police Cracks Major Drug Trafficking Syndicate

The Anti Narcotic Task Force of Punjab Police, in collaboration with a central agency, has dismantled a significant drug trafficking syndicate. They arrested 10 individuals and seized narcotics, weapons, cash, and gold. The operation spanned Jalandhar, Amritsar, and Ludhiana, with cross-border connections to Pakistan.

In a significant crackdown, Punjab Police's Anti Narcotic Task Force (ANTF), in collaboration with a central agency, has successfully dismantled a major drug trafficking syndicate. This operation led to the arrest of ten individuals, as confirmed by Director General of Police (DGP), Gaurav Yadav, on Saturday.

The individuals apprehended have been identified as Chandan Sharma, Akash Sharma, Vishal Singh, Arvinder Singh, Lovepreet Singh, Rinku Thapar, Bharat, Divyam, Pratham, and Ankush Bhatti.

The task force seized a substantial cache of illegal items from the suspects, including one kilogram of heroin, 381 grams of charas, three pistols with 62 live cartridges and two empty shells, Rs 48.7 lakh in cash, 262 grams of gold, and electronic devices.

DGP Yadav reported that the arrested individuals were facilitating drug operations across Jalandhar, Amritsar, and Ludhiana. Investigations revealed that the network smuggled drugs into the state from across the border, with financial transactions routed to Pakistan-based smugglers via the 'hawala' system.

Preliminary findings highlight Lovepreet, an Amritsar resident, as the pivotal orchestrator of the syndicate. Authorities discovered a hidden closet in Lovepreet's house, used for concealing narcotics and money, doubling as a secure hideout.

(With inputs from agencies.)