Punjab Police seize 85 kg heroin, term it biggest seizure this year (Ld)

Chandigarh, May 16 (IANS) In the biggest drug seizure of 2025 amid the ongoing anti-drugs campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Police have busted a cross-border Pakistan-ISI controlled narco-smuggling module being operated by UK-based drug handler Lalli with the arrest of his India-based operative and recovered 85 kg heroin from his possession, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav said here on Friday.

The arrested operative, identified as Amarjot Singh, alias Jota Sandhu, was using his residence at Bhittewad village in Amritsar as a major stash point for the network.

DGP Yadav said accused Amarjot was working on the behest of his UK-based drug handler Lalli and was receiving drug consignments from cross-border drug smugglers, who were using drones to transport the contraband.

Probe has also revealed that accused Amarjot collected heroin consignments from various border points and distributed them to local suppliers to supply further in different areas of Punjab, he added.

The DGP said further investigations are going on to establish backward and forward linkages in this case. More arrests and recoveries are likely in coming days, he added.

Sharing operation details, Senior Superintendent of Police (Tarn Taran) Abhimanyu Rana said acting on tip off, a police team of CIA Staff under the supervision of DSP Gurinderpal Singh Nagra conducted a targeted operation and apprehended accused Amarjot Singh from near Chabhal road in Tarn Taran and recovered 5 kg heroin from his scooter.

During questioning, accused Amarjot disclosed that he has concealed two consignments of 40 kg each at Rakh Sarai Amanat Khan and another is in the washing machine at his house in Bhittewad village, said the SSP, while adding police teams were dispatched at both the locations have recovered the contraband, taking the total recovery to 85 kg.

He said efforts are being made to uncover the entire network of suppliers, dealers, buyers and hawala handlers to ascertain the total quantity of drugs received by the arrested accused so far.

--IANS

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