How Did Punjab Police Uncover an ISI-Controlled Narco Smuggling Network?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Punjab Police conducted a significant operation against ISI-controlled drug trafficking.
- 85 kg of heroin was seized, marking a major milestone in drug enforcement.
- Arrests include Amarjot Singh, an operative linked to a UK drug dealer.
- The operation is part of the ongoing campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’.
- Authorities continue to carry out raids and arrests across the state.
Chandigarh, May 16 (NationPress) In a significant breakthrough in the fight against drugs, Punjab Police dismantled a narco-smuggling operation linked to the ISI, led by a UK-based drug dealer known as Lalli. According to police reports, 85 kg of heroin was seized during this operation.
Director General of Police, Gaurav Yadav, announced the arrest of Amarjot Singh, also called Jota Sandhu, who was identified as Lalli's contact in India. Singh, a resident of Bhittewad village in the Amritsar district, was found with the large stash of heroin.
Amarjot was allegedly receiving shipments from smugglers in Pakistan and distributing drugs throughout Punjab. DGP Yadav emphasized that his home was a crucial storage site for this criminal network.
A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed, and investigations are underway to explore both upstream and downstream connections.
“We are diligently following leads and anticipate more arrests and seizures shortly,” DGP Yadav remarked.
As part of the state's ongoing anti-drug campaign, ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’, which recently marked its 75th day, police conducted extensive cordon and search operations (CASOs) at bus terminals across Punjab.
Special Director General of Police for Law and Order, Arpit Shukla, oversaw these operations, during which suspicious individuals were thoroughly checked.
In addition, police teams have been actively combating drug activity, executing raids at 486 sites and apprehending 124 drug traffickers, resulting in the filing of 83 FIRs statewide.
As a result, the total number of drug traffickers arrested has surged to 11,208 in just 75 days.
As a part of their stringent anti-drug measures, authorities in Gurdaspur employed a bulldozer to demolish the homes of two convicted drug traffickers, Baljinder and Lakhwinder, who had constructed their properties illegally on land owned by the Water Resource Department in Dida Sansia village.
Senior Superintendent of Police Aaditya announced that both individuals had extensive criminal records, with Baljinder facing 10 FIRs under the NDPS Act and Excise Act, while Lakhwinder had 12 FIRs against him under the same laws.