Punjab Police bust Dubai drug cartel, seize 10 kg ICE and 4 kg heroin in Amritsar
Synopsis
Punjab Police have cracked open an international drug pipeline stretching from Dubai to the streets of Amritsar — seizing 10 kg of ICE and 4 kg of heroin in a single operation. With the Dubai-based kingpin's mother and sister already in jail over a 42 kg heroin case, this cartel has now lost multiple layers of its Punjab network in quick succession.
Key Takeaways
Amritsar Commissionerate Police arrested two men on 20 May , recovering 10 kg of ICE (methamphetamine) and 4 kg of heroin .
The accused — Mohit alias Bachi, 19 , and Arshdeep Singh, 23 — were linked to a Dubai -based smuggler operating from Abu Dhabi and Dubai .
Narcotics were being distributed across the Majha and Doaba regions of Punjab and in Delhi .
In February 2025 , two other associates of the same cartel were arrested with 7.6 kg of heroin and ₹21,000 in drug money.
The smuggler's mother and sister are in Central Jail Amritsar over a separate 42 kg heroin case.
A case under Sections 21-C and 29 of the NDPS Act has been registered at Police Station Chheharta, Amritsar , dated 18 May .
Amritsar Commissionerate Police on 20 May dismantled an international drug cartel linked to a Dubai-based smuggler, arresting two men and recovering 10 kg of ICE (methamphetamine) and 4 kg of heroin from their possession. Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav announced the breakthrough on Wednesday, describing it as a significant step in the state's ongoing drive to eliminate drug trafficking.
The Accused and Their Roles
The two men arrested have been identified as Mohit alias Bachi, 19, a resident of Pavaar village in Jalandhar, and Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh alias Harman, 23, a resident of Kot Khalsa in Amritsar. According to preliminary investigation, both were operating under the direct instructions of a Dubai-based smuggler functioning out of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and were tasked with trafficking narcotics across Punjab and Delhi.
How the Operation Unfolded
Commissioner of Police, Amritsar, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that acting on specific intelligence inputs, police teams intercepted both accused while they were travelling on a motorcycle. The contraband — 10 kg of ICE and 4 kg of heroin — was recovered following a search. Bhullar noted that accused Mohit had recently returned from Dubai, where he was allegedly trained and assigned the task of transporting narcotics consignments into India.
The Dubai Connection
Interrogation revealed that the Dubai-based smuggler was specifically targeting young, labour-class individuals, recruiting them into the trafficking network. Accused Arshdeep, who was already involved in drug trafficking, was reportedly in direct contact with the smuggler and was storing heroin consignments received through unidentified persons before handing them over to Mohit for onward delivery. The narcotics were being distributed across the Majha and Doaba regions of Punjab.
Earlier Arrests Linked to the Same Network
This is not the first time this cartel has been targeted. In February this year, two associates of the same smuggler — identified as Sahibpreet Singh alias Sahib and Gagandeep Singh alias Gagan — were arrested with 7.6 kg of heroin and ₹21,000 in drug money. Additionally, the smuggler's mother and sister are currently lodged in Central Jail Amritsar in connection with a separate case under the NDPS Act at Police Station Raja Sansi, involving the recovery of 42 kg of heroin.
Case Registered, Investigation Ongoing
A case dated 18 May has been registered at Police Station Chheharta in Amritsar under Sections 21-C and 29 of the NDPS Act. Bhullar confirmed that investigators are working to establish backward and forward linkages within the network to identify additional members and uncover further recoveries. The Dubai-based kingpin remains at large, and international coordination is expected to be a key element of the continuing probe.
Point of View
Unresolved knot. Punjab Police have now arrested multiple nodes of the same Dubai-based network within months, yet the kingpin continues to operate from the Gulf — a reminder that domestic enforcement alone cannot dismantle transnational cartels. The deliberate recruitment of young, labour-class men points to a systemic vulnerability that policing cannot fix without parallel social and economic intervention. The 42 kg heroin case involving the smuggler's own family members also raises questions about how deeply entrenched this network is, and whether Indian investigative agencies are coordinating with UAE counterparts at the pace the situation demands.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What drugs were seized in the Punjab Police Amritsar drug bust?
Punjab Police recovered 10 kg of ICE (methamphetamine) and 4 kg of heroin from two arrested accused in Amritsar on 20 May 2025. The seizure is part of the state's ongoing anti-narcotics drive.
Who are the accused arrested in the Amritsar drug cartel case?
The two men arrested are Mohit alias Bachi, 19 , from Pavaar village in Jalandhar, and Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh alias Harman, 23 , from Kot Khalsa in Amritsar. Both were reportedly working under the orders of a Dubai-based drug smuggler.
Who is the Dubai-based smuggler behind the Punjab drug network?
According to police, the network is controlled by a smuggler operating from Abu Dhabi and Dubai , whose identity has not been publicly disclosed. His mother and sister are currently in Central Jail Amritsar in a separate 42 kg heroin case under the NDPS Act.
Has anyone else from this cartel been arrested before?
Yes. In February 2025 , two associates — Sahibpreet Singh alias Sahib and Gagandeep Singh alias Gagan — were arrested with 7.6 kg of heroin and ₹21,000 in drug proceeds, all linked to the same Dubai-based smuggler.
What legal action has been taken in the Amritsar drug bust case?
A case dated 18 May 2025 has been registered at Police Station Chheharta in Amritsar under Sections 21-C and 29 of the NDPS Act . Investigation is ongoing to map the full network and identify additional members.
