Punjab Police dismantles international drug smuggling ring

Amidst the ongoing anti-drug campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Police’s Counter Intelligence (CI) Amritsar has busted an international narco-smuggling module being operated by foreign-based smuggler Jassa with the arrest of his two India-based operatives and recovered 10 kg heroin and Rs 1 lakh drug monet from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav on Thursday.

Those arrested have been identified as Gurpinder Singh, a resident of Indra Colony in Majitha Road, Amritsar and Sajan, a resident of Chak Mishri Khan in Amritsar. Police teams have also seized their black Hero Splendor motorcycle (PB-02-EM-2025), which was used for smuggling the contraband.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said that accused Jassa, who is an abroad-based drug and weapons smuggler, is wanted in multiple cases under the NDPS Act and Arms Act registered at Police Station SSOC Amritsar.

Pertinently, this is third module— being operated by foreign-based Jassa— has been busted by the CI Amritsar in last ten days. Earlier, an operative of Jassa identified as Abhishek was arrested with seven pistols and Rs 1.5 lakh, and few days after, police teams had recovered 5 kg heroin from the hideout of Jassa’s absconding associate identified as Jodhbir Singh alias Jodha.

Sharing operation details, the DGP said that acting on reliable input about accused persons Gurpinder and Sajan coming in the area of Bypass, near Escort Hospital Amritsar to deliver huge consignment of heroin to some another party, police teams from CI Amritsar launched an intelligence-led operation in the area and apprehended both the accused persons, who were on their motorcycle. During their search, 10 kg heroin and Rs 1 lakh drug money was recovered, he added.

He said that preliminary investigations indicated that the both the arrested accused persons were going to deliver the drug consignment following the instructions of their foreign-based handler, Jassa.

Further investigation is underway to uncover backward and forward linkages in this case, he said, while adding that more arrests and recoveries are likely in coming days.

A case FIR No. 30 dated 08.05.2025 has been registered under sections 21, 25, 27-A and 29 of the NDPS Act at Police Station State Special Operations Cell (SSOC), Amritsar.