Did Punjab Police Successfully Dismantle a Narco-Hawala Cartel?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Punjab Police arrested six operatives linked to a narco-hawala cartel.
- Seized 4.526 kg of heroin and Rs 8.7 lakh in drug money.
- Cartel orchestrated by Arshdeep Singh, currently in prison.
- Investigation revealed laundering through hawala channels.
- Significant impact on drug trafficking in Punjab.
Chandigarh, June 10 (NationPress) In a significant achievement, Punjab Police have successfully dismantled a narco-hawala cartel run by Arshdeep Singh, who is currently imprisoned. They apprehended six of his associates and seized 4.526 kg of heroin along with Rs 8.7 lakh in drug money, as announced by Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav on Tuesday.
The individuals arrested include Karandeep Singh (25), Jaspreet Singh (20), Arshdeep Singh (22), Gurmeet Singh (24), Rajinderpal Singh (24), and Malkeet Singh (28).
DGP Yadav stated that initial investigations have indicated that Arshdeep Singh, in collaboration with Jaspreet Singh and Karandeep Singh, has been managing both the drug trafficking and the hawala transactions.
Karandeep Singh, along with Gurmeet Singh and Rajinderpal Singh, was responsible for obtaining cross-border shipments and distributing the drugs throughout various regions of Punjab, according to the DGP.
Furthermore, the investigation revealed that the profits from the narcotics trade were laundered through hawala channels by Jaspreet Singh, with funds being sent to Dubai and then to Pakistan.
Authorities have also recovered the mobile phone used by Arshdeep Singh while in jail, which serves as vital evidence for their cross-border smuggling operations.
Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Commissioner of Police in Amritsar, noted that Arshdeep Singh is currently incarcerated due to a commercial NDPS case. Despite being in jail, he continued to communicate with smugglers across the border. Notably, Malkeet Singh, who has been arrested separately, is a well-known smuggler with a year-long stint in Dubai, where he forged connections with Pakistani smugglers. Residing near the international border, he has facilitated the direct smuggling of shipments to his home upon returning to India two months ago.
The operation was carried out by teams led by DCP Ravinderpal Singh and ADCP Jagbinder Singh, based on intelligence reports. In addition to the heroin and cash, police have seized their motorcycle, which was utilized for delivering the shipments.