Juvenile among five held in Punjab for cross-border smuggling

Chandigarh, Oct 2 In a major breakthrough, Punjab Police have dismantled a cross-border arms and narcotics smuggling network with links to Pakistan with the arrest of its five operatives, including a juvenile, and recovered 12 sophisticated .30 bore pistols and 1.5 kg heroin from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Thursday.

Those arrested have been Joban Singh (22), Karandeep Singh (19) and Ajaypal Singh (18), all residents of Mari Megha village in Tarn Taran; Jashanpreet Singh (18) of Rania village in Amritsar and a 16-year-old juvenile.

DGP Yadav said preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused, Joban Singh and Jashanpreet Singh, were in direct touch with Pakistan-based smugglers and communicating via social media to receive and deliver arms and narcotics consignments.

The pushed-in weapon consignments were meant to fuel inter-gang rivalries in Punjab, he said.

The DGP said further investigation is underway to establish linkages in the case to expose the full nexus.

Sharing operation details, Commissioner of Police (CP) Amritsar Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said during a checkpoint in the Hakima area police teams have arrested suspects Joban Singh, Karandeep Singh and Ajaypal Singh and recovered five .30 bore pistols from their possession.

All three belong to the same village that is located close to the international border, he said, adding that Pakistan-based smugglers were using drones to drop the arms and narcotics consignments.

He said based on disclosures, arrested accused Joban Singh's associates, Jashanpreet Singh and a juvenile, were 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 dated September 28 has been registered under Section 25 of the Arms Act and Sections 21-C and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act at Police Station Gate Hakima in Amritsar.

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