Punjab Police seize 105 kg heroin, arrest two associates of Turkey-based smuggler (Ld)

Chandigarh, Oct 27 (IANS) The Punjab Police have busted a cross-border smuggling racket after arresting two associates of Turkey-based smuggler Navpreet Singh, alias Nav Bhullar, and recovered 105 kg heroin -- one the biggest seizures of the contraband -- from their possession, officials said on Sunday.

Police also recovered five foreign-made pistols, one country-made pistol, and a huge quantity of scheduled drugs, including 31.93 kg caffeine anhydrous and 17 kg dextromethorphan (DMR), from their possession, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said.

The arrested accused have been identified as Navjot Singh, a resident of Guru Tegh Bahadur Colony in Baba Bakala, Amritsar, and Lovepreet Kumar, a resident of Kala Sanghian in Kapurthala.

"Investigations revealed that the accused were using these scheduled drugs as multiplying agents to increase the heroin quantity by four times," the DGP said.

Sharing operation details, DGP Yadav said that a team of Counter Intelligence (CI) Amritsar received intel that a foreign-based smuggler Navpreet Singh has been operating a Pakistan-backed cross-border smuggling racket using his associates camped at rented accommodation at Colony Lady Road in Baba Bakala (Amritsar).

Acting swiftly, an intelligence-led operation was launched and a special checkpoint was established under the supervision of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Balbir Singh in Baba Bakala, leading to the arrest of accused persons Navjot Singh and Lovepreet Kumar and the recovery of 7 kg Heroin from their Volkswagen Virtus car, he said, adding police teams have also impounded the car.

The DGP said that on the basis of disclosure statements of the arrested accused, police teams have recovered the remaining 98 kg heroin along with weapons, Caffeine Anhydrous and DMR from their rented premises. Route of smuggling the narcotic consignment is being investigated, he said.

Further investigations are on to establish backward and forward linkages in this case and police teams are on a manhunt to arrest more criminals involved in the drug cartel.

--IANS

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