Cross-border arms narcotics smuggling network busted 5 held in Amritsar

Chandigarh, Oct 2 (PTI) A cross-border arms and narcotics smuggling network was busted in Amritsar with the arrest of five people including a juvenile and recovery of 1.50 kg heroin and 12 pistols, police said on Thursday.
     Those arrested have been identified as Joban Singh (22), Karandeep Singh alias Pandit (19) and Ajaypal Singh (18), from village Mari Megha in Tarn Taran; Jashanpreet Singh (18) of village Rania in Amritsar and a 16-years-old juvenile, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said.
     Preliminary investigation revealed that out of five accused, Joban Singh and Jashanpreet Singh, were in direct touch with Pakistan-based smugglers and communicated via social media to receive and deliver arms and narcotics consignments, Yadav said.
     He added that 12 pistols and 1.50 kg of heroin were recovered from their possession.
     The pushed-in consignments are meant to fuel inter-gang rivalries in Punjab, the DGP said.
     The DGP said that further investigation is underway to establish forward and backward linkages in this case to expose the full nexus.
     Sharing operation details, Commissioner of Police (CP) Amritsar Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that during a checkpoint at Gate Hakima area, police teams nabbed Joban Singh, Karandeep Singh alias Pandit, and Ajaypal Singh and recovered five .30 bore pistols from their possession.
     All three arrested accused persons belong to the same village Mari Megha, which is located close to the international border, he said while adding that Pakistan-based smugglers were using drones to drop the arms and narcotics consignments.
     The CP said that based on disclosures, arrested accused Joban Singh's associates'” Jashanpreet Singh and a juvenile'” were named and apprehended with seven pistols.
     On sustained interrogation of Joban Singh, he revealed details about concealed 1.5 kg heroin consignment, which was recovered from the location pinpointed by him, he added.
     A case has been registered under the Arms Act and the Narcotics Drugs Psychotropic Substances Act at Gate Hakima police station in Amritsar.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)