Chandigarh, Aug 1 (IANS) In a major breakthrough, Counter Intelligence (CI) Amritsar has busted a cross-border narcotics smuggling and organised criminal nexus with the arrest of one operative and recovered 20 kg heroin from his possession, said Punjab’s Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.
The accused has been identified as Om Sharma, a resident of Tarn Taran. Apart from recovering a big haul of heroin, police teams have also impounded his car being used for smuggling. DGP Yadav said preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused was acting on the directions of a foreign-based handler linked to cross-border smugglers.
The accused was allegedly responsible for receiving heroin consignments in the border area and delivering them to other parties across Punjab, he said.
Sharing operational details, he said that CI Amritsar had received specific information that associates of a foreign-based handler are actively engaged in the illegal trafficking of narcotic drugs and have been receiving consignments of heroin from his Pakistan-based associates in the border area of Ajnala using drones and then, on his directions, deliver them to their associate Sharma, who delivers the narcotic consignments further to other parties. The tip-off further revealed that accused Sharma has recently got a huge consignment of heroin and is coming in the area of Sohian Kalan on the Fatehgarh Churian Road in Amritsar for delivering to other party, the DGP said, adding that a police team conducted raid and intercepted Sharma and recovered 20 kg heroin from his possession.
The DGP said further investigation is underway to establish linkages in the case to identify the entire network, and uncover possible connections with previously busted narcotics smuggling modules. A first information report (FIR) was registered on July 31 under Sections 21, 25 and 29 of the NDPS Act at the Police Station of State Special Operation Cell in Amritsar.
–IANS
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