Punjab Police seize 27 kg heroin, foreign pistol; 4 held in Amritsar cross-border bust
Synopsis
Punjab CI Amritsar busted a drone-fed, Dubai-directed smuggling module on 16 September, seizing 27 kg of heroin and a foreign .30 bore PX5 pistol from four accused near Khasa. The haul points to a maturing transnational supply chain using encrypted apps and drone drops along the Attari border strip — a method that is becoming a persistent enforcement challenge in Punjab.
Key Takeaways
Punjab Police Counter Intelligence, Amritsar arrested four individuals on 16 September 2026 in a cross-border smuggling bust.
Recovered: 27 kg heroin and a foreign-made .30 bore PX5 pistol with three cartridges .
The consignment was reportedly drone-dropped near the Indo-Pak border at Attari and intercepted near Khasa, Amritsar .
Accused were allegedly coordinating with a Dubai-based operative via encrypted communication platforms .
A motorcycle and a car used in the operation were also impounded; further probe is underway to map the full network.
Punjab Police's Counter Intelligence (CI) unit in Amritsar has dismantled a cross-border drug and arms smuggling module, arresting four individuals and recovering 27 kg of heroin and a sophisticated foreign-made .30 bore PX5 pistol with three cartridges on 16 September 2026. Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav confirmed the operation, describing it as a significant blow to an Indo-Pak border smuggling network with overseas handlers.
Who Was Arrested
The four accused have been identified as Vishal Singh, alias Shalu; Manpreet Singh, alias Sunny; and Smartpreet Singh — all residents of Amritsar — and Karan Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran. In addition to the narcotics and firearm, police impounded a motorcycle and a car that were allegedly used in the smuggling operation.
How the Operation Unfolded
According to DGP Yadav, CI Amritsar teams received specific intelligence that the four suspects had collected a large consignment of heroin and arms that had been drone-dropped near the Indo-Pak border area of Attari. The accused were reportedly planning to deliver the contraband to another party near Adda Khasa in Amritsar. Acting on the tip-off, police intercepted the group near a bus shelter at Khasa, where the seizure was made.
Dubai Handler and Encrypted Communications
Preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused were operating under instructions from a Dubai-based operative and cross-border smugglers, according to the DGP. The group allegedly used encrypted communication platforms to stay in contact with their handlers, apparently to evade law enforcement detection. The recovered consignment was to be further distributed to other parties on the handlers' directions.
What Investigators Are Pursuing
Authorities have confirmed that the probe is ongoing. DGP Yadav said investigators are working to establish the full network of linkages and identify all individuals involved in the smuggling chain. The drone-drop method of delivery — increasingly documented along the Punjab-Pakistan border — points to a structured transnational operation rather than an opportunistic crime. This is among the larger single-seizure heroin recoveries reported in the region this year.
Point of View
Encrypted apps, drone drops, and a foreign pistol in the same consignment. That suggests a vertically integrated transnational network, not a local operator. Punjab Police's Counter Intelligence has recorded several such busts, yet the supply pipeline has not narrowed. The real accountability question is upstream: how are these Dubai-based handlers operating with apparent impunity, and what diplomatic or intelligence-sharing mechanisms are being activated to disrupt them?
NationPress
16 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was seized in the Punjab Police drug bust on 16 September 2026?
Police recovered 27 kg of heroin and a foreign-made .30 bore PX5 pistol along with three cartridges from four accused intercepted near Khasa in Amritsar. A motorcycle and a car used in the smuggling were also impounded.
Who are the four people arrested in the Amritsar drug bust?
The arrested individuals are Vishal Singh (alias Shalu), Manpreet Singh (alias Sunny), and Smartpreet Singh — all from Amritsar — and Karan Singh , a resident of Tarn Taran.
How did the heroin and arms reach the accused?
According to DGP Gaurav Yadav , the consignment was drone-dropped near the Indo-Pak border area of Attari . The accused collected it and were en route to deliver it to another party near Adda Khasa in Amritsar when police intercepted them.
Who was directing the smuggling operation?
Preliminary investigation indicates the accused were taking instructions from a Dubai-based operative and cross-border smugglers. They reportedly used encrypted communication platforms to contact their handlers and avoid detection.
What happens next in the investigation?
Authorities say the probe is ongoing, with investigators working to identify all members of the wider smuggling network and establish the full chain of linkages beyond the four individuals currently in custody.
