Jaipur, April 7 (NationPress) In a collaborative effort by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Barmer Police, two apprehended drug traffickers—Salman Khan and Shankar Ram—have revealed the existence of a clandestine international drug trafficking syndicate during their interrogation.

The main suspect, Salman Khan, disclosed that he had been in communication for the last six months with a Pakistani operator named Masad, who resides in Nimla village, Pakistan.

The link was established through Rahim Khan, a local from Salman's village and reportedly related to the handler based in Pakistan.

Targeting Salman's financial hardships, the Pakistani handler seduced him into participating in the drug trafficking scheme by promising lucrative rewards via a 'dead drop' or location-based delivery mechanism.

According to Dinesh M.N., the Additional Director General of Police (ADG) (Crime) in Rajasthan, investigations indicate that the operation was entirely digital and reliant on specific locations.

The Pakistani handler would send GPS coordinates through WhatsApp calls, instructing the accused on precise locations, frequently in restricted border zones or hidden under solitary Khejri trees.

Salman would then excavate packages of narcotics concealed underground at these sites.

Furthermore, cash transactions were either digitally transferred to his Airtel Payments Bank account or secreted underground at predetermined locations, with coordinates communicated only after the task's completion.

During the police interrogation, Salman revealed that on April 4, he had unearthed five packets of narcotics from a spot approximately 250 meters from the international boundary, buried within a yellow plastic bag.

He also confessed to previously delivering a packet that had been buried for months at another specific site, for which he received a substantial cash reward hidden at a different location.

Investigators have uncovered that this drug operation has been active for several years, with similar smuggling incidents reported in border villages like Bhabhutiyon ki Dhani and adjacent regions five to six years back.

The operation maintained a high level of secrecy, with operatives remaining unaware of each other's identities, and all communication records—including location information and chat histories—were routinely erased following each mission.

Authorities are currently scrutinizing Salman's mobile data, WhatsApp exchanges, and financial transactions.

A search operation is in progress to track down Rahim Khan and dismantle the broader cross-border network.

ADG Dinesh M.N. further stated that the accused made disturbing revelations suggesting that the smuggling operation extended beyond narcotics to include explosives and illegal arms.

In light of these findings, the Rajasthan ATS, Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), Barmer Police, and various intelligence agencies have been put on heightened alert.

Responding to these leads, joint teams have conducted raids across Barmer district and have detained several suspects who are presently under interrogation.

Key officials, including ATS Superintendent of Police (SP) Gyanchand Yadav and Barmer SP Chunaram Jat, alongside AGTF and Intelligence personnel, are spearheading the investigation.

Initial findings indicate that handlers operating from Pakistan may have aimed not just to smuggle illegal substances but also to undermine peace and stability in the region through the distribution of explosives and arms.

Authorities believe the ongoing joint interrogation may uncover a wider inter-state and international network.

Efforts are being made to pinpoint potential hideouts and locations where explosives and weapons might be stored.

Based on insights from mobile data and digital communications, more arrests and critical recoveries are anticipated in the forthcoming days.

Security agencies have escalated operations to completely dismantle the syndicate.