Punjab Police Cracks Down on Cross-Border Arms and Drug Smuggling; Six Arrested
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Chandigarh, March 15 (NationPress) - In a significant operation, the Punjab Police have dismantled two cross-border modules involved in arms and drug smuggling, leading to the arrest of six suspects, as reported by Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Sunday. The police seized six advanced pistols and 3.5 kg of heroin from the individuals' possession.
The arrested suspects, identified as Karan Singh (26), Gurpreet Singh (22), Makhandeen (22), Rakesh (26), Chamkor Singh (23), and Jasbir Singh (19), were found with a notable arsenal, which included three PX 5.7x28MM TISAS Turkey pistols, alongside two .30 bore and one 9MM pistol, and a total of 60 cartridges. The PX 5.7×28 mm TISAS Turkey series pistols are particularly noteworthy as they represent some of the latest and rare finds in such operations.
DGP Yadav indicated that initial investigations suggest that these individuals have connections to smugglers based in Pakistan who utilize drones to facilitate the illegal transport of weapons and narcotics near the India-Pakistan border.
He emphasized that the suspects are part of a larger organized smuggling network, operating under a cross-border handler. Ongoing investigations aim to uncover further connections and dismantle the entire operation.
Commissioner of Police (Amritsar) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar detailed that during routine patrols, police officers spotted two suspicious individuals, Karan Singh and Gurpreet, on a motorcycle. Upon searching them, police recovered two TISAS Turkey pistols with magazines and 20 cartridges.
As the investigation progressed, an additional TISAS Turkey pistol and one .30 bore pistol were recovered based on their disclosures. Both suspects hail from villages adjacent to the India-Pakistan international border in Amritsar, which likely facilitated the smuggling.
During questioning, the two suspects identified their supplier, Makhandeen, who was later apprehended with a .30 bore pistol and ammunition.
In a parallel operation, Bhullar reported that police captured suspects Rakesh and Chamkor Singh after recovering 200 grams of heroin. Following their disclosures, an additional 800 grams of heroin was seized, bringing the total to one kilogram. Further actions led to the arrest of Jasbir Singh, who was found with 2.5 kg of heroin.