Chandigarh: Punjab police on Sunday claimed to have busted a trans-border narco-smuggling module with the arrest of two repeat offenders, who were previously caught in 2015 along with two Pakistani nationals.
Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, said the police has recovered 10 kg of heroin from the arrested drug smugglers identified as Sukhdev Singh, 60, of Batala and Avtar Singh alias Tari, 45, of Amritsar, who had managed to get back into the smuggling business after being released from jail on bail.
Police teams have also impounded their Toyota Etios car used for transporting the heroin, he added.
Police said that two Pak-nationals had crossed the border in 2015, to deliver the 19.5 Kg heroin consignment to arrested drug smugglers – Sukhdev Singh and Avtar Tari – and the latter had also provided them shelter at their house.
Punjab police had arrested all four accused persons after recovering 2.5 kg heroin, Rs 65 lakh drug money, one pistol and one rifle. Accused Sukhdev Singh came out of jail last year and Avtar Singh came out on bail in the month of September.
DGP Yadav said that preliminary investigations have revealed that after coming out of the jail, the arrested individuals again made contact with Pakistan-based smugglers and managed to retrieve at least three consignments of heroin dropped via drones, in the last few months. Further investigations are ongoing to trace backward and forward linkages in this case, he added.
According to information, the police team apprehended both the accused persons near Mullechak village at Sua bridge in Amritsar, while they were going to supply heroin to another smuggler in their car. Police said the probe was on to gather more details and identify dealers and buyers within the network.
