Punjab Police Seize RPG, Heroin in Amritsar Bustਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਆਰਪੀਜੀ ਤੇ ਹੈਰੋਇਨ ਬਰਾਮਦ, 7 ਗ੍ਰਿਫ਼ਤਾਰ

Amritsar Rural Police have busted multiple cross-border arms and drug trafficking networks, arresting seven people including three juveniles and recovering a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, pistols, heroin, opium and methamphetamine, Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Tuesday.

What police recovered

In a joint operation with a central agency, police recovered one RPG, a 22 NETTO anti-tank missile launcher, two 9mm Glock pistols, 106 live cartridges, 7.904 kg of heroin, 5.152 kg of opium and 2.344 kg of ICE, or methamphetamine. Officers also seized a drone, a GPS tracking device and five mobile phones from the accused.

Preliminary investigation found that the accused were allegedly in contact with foreign-based handlers who arranged the supply of weapons and drugs for distribution among criminal elements in Punjab, Yadav said. The police are now working to establish the backward and forward linkages of the networks and identify others involved.

How the network worked

Inspector General of Police, Border Range, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said teams from Bhindi Saida police station, working with the Border Security Force, busted an ICE smuggling module with the arrest of Balkar Singh, 41, of Kotli Dusandhi, Sukhjit Singh, 19, of Ajnala, and two juveniles, recovering 2.3 kg of ICE from them.

Bhullar said Balkar Singh, whose agricultural land touches the international border fence, had allegedly arranged the cross-border drone drop and engaged local youths from Ajnala for distribution. In separate recoveries, Bhindi Saida teams found 7.904 kg of heroin dropped by drone and a tracking device near Awan Lakha Singh village.

Five cases have been registered in the operation: FIR No. 487 dated 6 November under the Explosive Substances Act at Gharinda police station, FIR No. 359 dated 4 November under the Arms Act at Lopoke, and FIRs No. 184, 180 and 181 dated 10 November under the NDPS Act at Bhindi Saida.

Four more held in Mohali

In a separate operation, Mohali Police arrested four men from Ferozepur district on 7 November for allegedly receiving heroin consignments dropped by drones from across the international border. The accused were identified as Manpreet Singh, 23, Sunil alias Sunny, 26, Gurpreet Singh alias Guri, 24, and Sukhchain Singh alias Sukha, 23.

Police said the four were allegedly in contact with Pakistan-based handlers and supplied drugs in Mohali, Chandigarh and other parts of the Tricity. Officers recovered five pistols, 100 grams of heroin and Rs 1 lakh in suspected drug money, and seized a Creta car. A case has been registered at Kharar police station under the NDPS Act and the Arms Act, and the four have been taken on four days of police remand. Police said no previous criminal cases had been registered against any of them.

Part of a wider crackdown

The seizures are the latest in a string of large recoveries in the border belt, where police say drone drops from across the border remain the main route for smuggling heroin and weapons into Punjab. Counter Intelligence and border units have stepped up operations along the border districts in recent months.

The recoveries are police allegations at this stage. The accused have not been tried in court, and the investigation is continuing.

Who was arrested in the Amritsar operation?

Seven people, including three juveniles, were arrested by Amritsar Rural Police in a joint operation with a central agency. Police named Balkar Singh of Kotli Dusandhi and Sukhjit Singh of Ajnala among those held in the ICE smuggling module.

What did police recover?

An RPG launcher, two 9mm Glock pistols, 106 live cartridges, 7.904 kg of heroin, 5.152 kg of opium, 2.344 kg of ICE, a drone, a GPS tracker and five mobile phones.

What happened in Mohali?

Mohali Police arrested four men from Ferozepur district on 7 November for allegedly receiving drone-dropped heroin consignments, recovering five pistols, 100 grams of heroin and Rs 1 lakh in suspected drug money.

Have the accused been charged?

Five cases have been registered at Gharinda, Lopoke and Bhindi Saida police stations under the Explosive Substances Act, the Arms Act and the NDPS Act. The allegations have not yet been tested in court.